Organizational Structure (From What Works in Policing: Operations and Administration Examined, P 87-105, 1992, Gary W Cordner and Donna C Hale, eds. -- See NCJ-132805)

• NCJ Number: 132811
• Author(s): R H Langworthy
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Anderson Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Historical Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This analysis of police organizational structure reviews the theory, history, and empirical research and concludes that determining the best structure depends on first specifying the goals and objectives the police are supposed to achieve.

Abstract

The early, decentralized police organizations that were strongly influenced by local politics were gradually reformed into centralized and bureaucratic organizations. The further reform efforts of the last 2 decades led first to team policing and then to community policing. Current reformers regard law enforcement, order maintenance, and the provision of a broad range of community services as equal responsibilities of the police. However, empirical research has not provided useful information on organizational structure. A more useful approach is that of Perrow, who emphasizes the need for organization designers to consider their conception of inputs as the basis for developing recommendations for organization and reorganization. Thus, if police are viewed as agents of the law or local will, a mechanistic organization that limits discretion is best. However, if police are viewed as professionals who are expected to use their individual or collective judgments, structures that promote discretion are best. Notes and 26 references