HOW POLICE CONFRONT DISASTER

• NCJ Number: 2859
• Author(s): T E DRABEK; J E HAAS
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1307-67; 572-65
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of the Air Force
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM MAY 1969 TRANS-ACTION, PAGES 33-38

Annotation

A TEST OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS OF THE COLUMBUS POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

Abstract

SIMULATED DISASTERS WERE CREATED IN ORDER TO TEST ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS. THE EXPERIMENT EMPHASIZES SYSTEM RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL STRESS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TEAMS OF POLICEMEN, USING STANDARD PROCEDURES, DID COPE RATHER EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ENORMOUS DEMAND LOAD GENERATED BY THE SIMULATED DISASTER. THEIR MAJOR DIFFICULTIES WERE NOT INTERNAL COORDINATION, SINCE THEIR GENERAL PROCEDURES AND PIPELINE-COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY MET MANY OF THE INTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS. BUT THEIR RESPONSES CLEARLY VALIDATED EARLIER OBSERVATIONS MADE BY FIELD RESEARCHERS-THAT WHEN LARGE-SCALE DISASTERS OCCUR, ORGANIZATIONS WILL EXPAND SO AS TO INCORPORATE UNDER THEIR CONTROL ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES. AND IT WAS HERE THAT THE POLICE RADIO TEAMS ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTY. MODIFIED AUTHOR ABSTRACT