STUDY OF POLICE RESISTANCE TO POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN A MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT

• NCJ Number: 30544
• Author(s): T A JOHNSON
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 416 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF AREAS OF POLICE RESISTANCE TO COMMUNITY RELATIONS THAT GROW OUT OF STRUCTURAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEFICIENCIES OF MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND MANIFEST THROUGH THE ROLE CONCEPTIONS OF POLICE.

Abstract

THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT PATROLMEN ENACT THEIR ROLE IN RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY NATURE OF A SITUATION INSTEAD OF THE CRIMINAL OR NONCRIMINAL NATURE OF THE SITUATION. A BATTERY OF FOUR QUESTIONNAIRES WAS ADMINISTERED TO REPRESENTATIVE PATROLMEN AND POLICE RECRUITS IN A CENTRAL COLORADO MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT WAS OBSERVED DURING A FIVE-WEEK FIELD STUDY. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS OF A MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT DO NOT SUPPORT A POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM. THESE ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS ARE SO BROAD AND GENERAL THAT THEY TEND TO BE OPERATIONALLY DISPLACED BY THE EFFICIENCY MEASURES ADDRESSED TO THEM. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THERE WILL BE NO LASTING AND SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING UNTIL THE STRUCTURAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEFICIENCIES IN MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE CORRECTED.