NCJ Number
94641
Journal
Police Science Abstracts Volume: 11 Issue: 5 Dated: (September-October 1983) Pages: i-vi
Date Published
1983
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Police priorities should focus on task definition, organization development, and proper policymaking with regard to the execution of daily tasks before dealing with the problem of meeting increasing demands for services with fewer resources.
Abstract
Freezes on police manpower in the Netherlands are not based on any well-defined philosophy, but are merely a way to cut expenditures. The police in this situation have the opportunity to develop policies for what they should and should not do. Initially, better task definitions should be developed for police functions in the traffic sector, special legislation, work involved in granting pardons, naturalization, name changes, and other legal matters, as well as administrative work relating to aliens and state security. The starting point for improved management is decentralization to resolve problems created by the overbureaucratization of the Ministry, the lack of a well-defined police voice from the field, and differences among individual police units. The diminishing quality and overabundance of regulations have impeded organizational efficiency, and limited efforts have been made to act on recommendations regarding despecialization, task integration, and movement toward a more horizontal structure. Other barriers include budget constraints and reluctance by the government to introduce regulations that would encourage these changes. Finally, police managers, in setting priorities, should consider how the available capacity is being used to meet the need for an adequate policymaking system for daily operations. Effective reforms depend on closer ties between the police force and the municipal council, as well as cooperative relations between the prosecutorial system and the government.