NCJ Number
62818
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1979) Pages: 63-67
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE PROCESS OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION MUST BE UNDERSTOOD IF NEW POLICIES ARE TO BE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED.
Abstract
THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN IGNORED WITH THE RESULT THAT SOME PROGRAMS WITH STRONG COMMITMENTS FROM THEIR CHIEFS AND SUBSTANTIAL OUTSIDE FUNDS FAIL. NOT ONLY MUST POLICY BE ADEQUATELY FORMULATED, THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS MUST BE UNDERSTOOD. THE REASONS FOR RESISTANCE TO POLICY CHANGES ARE GIVEN WITH STRESS ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION OF PERSONNEL. THE GENERAL PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION IS DESCRIBED WITH ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, THE ROLE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR, AND THE DEGREE OF PROGRAM COMPLEXITY. SEVEN BASIC IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. THESE ARE: (1) OBJECTIVES TO BE IMPLEMENTED, (2) RESOURCES INVOLVED, (3) INTER- AND INTRA-ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION, (4) ENFORCEMENT AND FOLLOWUP, (5) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IMPLEMENTORS AND/OR IMPLEMENTING UNITS, (6) THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE, (7) THE DISPOSITION OF THOSE ACTUALLY CHARGED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY. METHODS TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESSFUL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN WHICH LINKS POLICY WITH THE ACTUAL TECHNICAL STEPS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT IT. THE PLAN SHOULD BE DESIGNED BY THE ORIGINAL POLICY DEVELOPERS, SHOULD HAVE SUBSTANTIAL REVIEW, AND SHOULD INCLUDE SOME DEGREE OF INPUT FROM THE RANK AND FILE. THE PLAN ITSELF SHOULD BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE, OUTLINING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND SETTING UP TIMETABLES. THE PLAN SHOULD ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY AND DEAL WITH UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. FOOTNOTES COMPLETE THE TEXT. (RFC)