NCJ Number
75323
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1980) Pages: 390-398
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The article discusses the planning and implementation of organizational change in police departments, including the selecting of change agents, understanding resistance, and choosing a proven method of change.
Abstract
Those responsible for making changes, or 'change agents,' must have technical competence in the specific tasks of the change project and be able to develop solutions which can be realistically applied. In addition, they must possess planning skill and be able to work well with individuals and organizations outside the change team. Change agents coming from within an agency bring with them valuable insights into the formal and informal organization and usually share certain common values and attitudes with other agency personnel, which may facilitate communication. However, they seldom possess the full range of experience and skills necessary to achieve wide-ranging change and may be viewed as desiring personal gain through their suggested changes. External change agents are often acknowledged as experts in their fields, but they are sometimes unable to identify major potential forces in the agency that may help or resist the change process. Furthermore, they seldom have to actually implement the changes they recommend, so a danger exists that their suggested changes are difficult or impossible to implement. Errors which all agents must avoid include premature commitments to particular strategies, lack of consultation with individuals critical to the change process, and lack of adequate planning. Organizational change can be effected by changing the individuals who work in the organization or by changing specific organizational structures. The first strategy may involve unfreezing of old patterns of relationships, trials with new behaviors, and refreezing a new pattern. The second can be used to introduce new priorities, improve the quality and quantity of police service, or improve police-minority relations. Footnotes are included.