PROBLEMS IN POLICE LEADERSHIP (FROM CRIME AND JUSTICE IN AMERICA - CRITICAL ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE, 1979, BY JOHN T O'BRIEN AND MARVIN MARCUS - SEE NCJ-62849)

• NCJ Number: 62861
• Author(s): J T O'BRIEN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 24 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

MAJOR FACTORS THAT WILL INFLUENCE THE DIRECTION AND CHARACTER OF POLICE LEADERSHIP IN COMING DECADES ARE IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED.

Abstract

TRENDS TOWARD GOVERNMENTAL FORM AND THE INTERPOSITION OF A NONPOLITICAL EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR BETWEEN THE POLICE CHIEF AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE LIKELY TO CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE STABLE, PROFESSIONAL POLICE POLICY. THE QUASI-MILITARY POLICE MODEL WILL BE GRADUALLY REPLACED BY A PUBLIC SERVICE MODEL, AND THERE WILL BE GREATER PUBLIC CONTROL OF POLICE, WITH POLICE AGENCIES BEING MORE RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES FOR SERVICE. SOCIAL FACTORS, WITH CHANGES IN THE AGE AND ETHNICITY OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, ALONG WITH CHANGES IN THE URBAN SCENE, WILL AFFECT POLICE DIRECTION. POLICE WILL BE CHALLENGED TO ADOPT LESS REPRESSIVE MEASURES, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO MINORITIES, IN RESPONSE TO CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES THAT VIEW POLICE AGENCIES AS THE REPRESSIVE ARM OF DOMINANT, SPECIAL-INTEREST POWER GROUPS. PERSPECTIVES ON LAW SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE REGARDING ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION, INFLUENCING POLICE TO BRING THEIR ENFORCEMENT POLICIES IN LINE WITH CONTEMPORARY COURT DECISIONS AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES. POLICE WILL RECEIVE MORE TRAINING AND EDUCATION, WITH POLICE RECEIVING MORE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, WILL BE MORE EXPEDITIOUS AND PROACTIVE IN THEIR WORK, AND THE POLICE CHIEF WILL BE VIEWED MORE AS A POLICYMAKER THAN A POLICE OFFICER. (RCB)