POLICE AND ACADEME - SOME SURPRISING SIMILARITIES

• NCJ Number: 63193
• Journal: Police Journal Volume: 52 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1979) Pages: 373-378
• Author(s): W R TABER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Justice of the Peace, Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A POLICE PATROL OFFICER AND A COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN, AS IDENTIFIED BY THE PROFESSOR, ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

DURING THE PAST DECADE, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE POSITIVE ELEMENTS OF A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION AND HAVE ATTAINED AN UNDERSTANDING OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN JOB PERFORMANCE. SIMILARLY, SOME COLLEGE PROFESSORS HAVE ATTAINED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE POLICE ROLE BY ACCOMPANYING OFFICERS ON PATROL. WHILE ON PATROL WITH THE POLICE, COLLEGE PROFESSORS NOTED STRIKING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN POLICE WORK AND ACADEMIC LIFE. FIRST, THE ELEMENT OF UNCERTAINTY AND CONSTANT CHANGE WAS IDENTIFIED. BUSY POLICE TOUR ASSIGNMENTS CHANGE FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT; IN THE ACADEMIC OFFICE, NO DAY IS EVER THE SAME. IDEAS, PROBLEMS, INFORMATION REQUESTS, AND INTERACTION ALTER THE ANTICIPATED ACTIVITY. BOTH THE OFFICER AND THE CHAIRMAN ARE OVERWORKED, EXASPERATED, HOPEFUL, AND CYNICAL. SECOND, THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES USED BY POLICE OFFICERS TO SEPARATE COMBATANTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE USED BY MIDDLE LEVEL ACADEMIC MANAGERS. THE SAME MIXTURE OF AMBIGUITY, RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION, AND DEMANDS FOR UNCOMPROMISING SOLUTIONS IS PRESENT; APPROPRIATE RESPONSES ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FOR OFFICER AND MANAGER. A THIRD COMMON ELEMENT IN THESE CONTRASTING PROFESSIONS IS THAT EACH PROFESSIONAL MUST SOMEHOW MAINTAIN THE AUTHORITY OF HIS POSITION. THE ABILITY TO USE AUTHORITY WITHOUT BEING ABUSIVE IS AN ASSET FOR BOTH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE QUALITIES A GOOD POLICE OFFICER NEEDS ON THE STREET ENCOMPASS THE FULL RANGE OF EMOTIONAL CONTROL, INTELLECTUAL ACUITY, AND SENSITIVITY THAT WE RECOGNIZE READILY IN MANY PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS. THERE IS MUCH MORE THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE LEARNED FROM FURTHER SYMPATHETIC INTERACTIONS AMONG SEEMINGLY DISPARATE PROFESSIONS. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE. (LWM)