POLICING BY OBJECTIVES - A HANDBOOK FOR IMPROVING POLICE MANAGEMENT

• NCJ Number: 45518
• Author(s): V A LUBANS; J M EDGAR
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 254 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-99-0042
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Social Development Corporation
• Sale Source: Social Development Corporation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

POLICING BY OBJECTIVES (PBO) IS A PROCESS OF PLANNING, EXECUTING, AND REVIEWING THE ACTIVITIES OF A POLICE ORGANIZATION IN RELATION TO SPECIFIC DESIRED RESULTS.

Abstract

BASED ON A PROCESS DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR USE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, PBO HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY MODIFIED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTRAORDINARY MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS INHERENT IN THE POLICE ENTERPRISE. THE TYPICAL PROBLEMS WHICH BESET THE POLICE MANAGER--LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE DEMAND FOR THE TYPES, TIMING, OR FREQUENCY OF SERVICES; RESULTS WHICH ARE NOT EASILY MEASURED; BUDGET DECISIONS WHICH ARE OFTEN MADE OUTSIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT--ARE PROBLEMS WITH WHICH A BUSINESS-ORIENTED SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT IS INCAPABLE OF DEALING. PBO, ON THE OTHER HAND, ACKNOWLEDGES THESE AND THE MANY OTHER SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH CHARACTERIZE THE DISTINCTIVE WORLD OF POLICE MANAGEMENT. TO MAKE THE NUMEROUS MODIFICATIONS OF THE REQUISITE CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES, RESEARCHERS STUDIED THE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES OF 37 POLICE ORGANIZATIONS NOW USING SOME FORM OF PBO. THE ADVICE AND OPINIONS OF A PANEL OF ADVISORS FROM THE POLICE WORLD AND THE BUSINESS AND ACADEMIC SECTORS WERE SOLICITED. THIS INFORMATION WAS THEN ORGANIZED AND SYNTHESIZED INTO A STEP-BY-STEP SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT WHICH IS PRESENTED IN HOW-TO FORM. THE RESULT IS A GUIDE TO MODERN POLICE MANAGEMENT WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE ACTIVE AND WOULD-BE POLICE MANAGER WHICH EMPHASIZES THE PRACTICE OF MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN MANAGEMENT THEORY. EACH STEP IN THE PBO PROCESS IS PRESENTED, FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEPARTMENTAL MISSION TO THE FINAL ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS. CHAPTERS EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS OF PBO MANAGEMENT TO INDIVIDUAL MANAGERS AND THEIR ORGANIZATION; OUTLINE POSSIBLE APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTATION; DISCUSS PROBLEMS WHICH MAY ARISE AND SOME WAYS THEY CAN BE AVOIDED OR OVERCOME; AND SUGGEST HOW THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE MIGHT BE CHANGED TO MAKE PBO STILL MORE EFFECTIVE. DESCRIPTIONS OF PBO SYSTEMS IN ACTUAL OPERATION IN SEVERAL POLICE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN APPENDED TO SHOW THE VARIOUS WAYS PBO CAN BE EMPLOYED. AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY IN ALSO INCLUDED.