NCJ Number
169576
Date Published
1992
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Major issues that surround organizational communication in police agencies are examined, with emphasis on their impact on police effectiveness.
Abstract
Organizational communication may be the most important managerial perspective for determining the productivity and quality of policing. Numerous factors influence the nature, forms, and atmosphere of communications in police agencies. Unanticipated consequences often result from police managers' failure to examine the implicit communication that occurs in the organization through these factors and the reality that citizens may act on the basis of implicit rather than explicit communications. Traditional police agencies use a closed form of organizational communication, in which managers make decisions based on their own opinions and ignore the opinions of line officers and citizens. In contrast, the open model of organizational communication makes line officers and citizens full partners in policing. This model has been prescribed as the hope for quality policing. The full acceptance of a partnership model between police executives, police managers, police officers, the community, business, and other government agencies is a necessary precursor to quality policing. The right sorts of values must be clearly adopted throughout the organization; the police executive must actively ensure that the organization is value driven toward quality policing. Management can limit the activity trap by clearly identifying vision, values, goals, and objectives and by connecting all rewards, punishments, and direction clearly to them. 41 references