NCJ Number
63263
Journal
LAE (LAMBDA ALPHA EPSILON) JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION Volume: 42 Issue: NOS 1 AND 2 Dated: (WINTER/ SPRING 1979) Pages: 71-77
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE ANALYZED, NOTING THE NEED FOR POLICE HUMAN RELATIONS TRAINING.
Abstract
ONLY ONE PRIOR STUDY HAS DEALT SPECIFICALLY WITH DESIRABLE MANAGEMENT TRAITS OF POLICE OFFICALS, RATING INTEGRITY, HONESTY AND JUDGMENT AS MOST IMPORTANT. THIS STUDY IS BASED ON AN EXERCISE IN A MANAGEMENT TRAINING SEMINAR FOR SHERIFFS. THE 22 PARTICIPATING SHERIFFS WERE INSTRUCTED TO IMAGINE THEIR 'BEST BOSS' AND THEIR 'WORST BOSS', AND TO GENERATE A SERIES OF WORDS AND SHORT PHASES TO DESCRIBE EACH. A TOTAL OF 545 SEPARATE WORDS OR PHRASES WERE GENERATED; 56 PERCENT DESCRIBED THE BEST AND 44 PERCENT THE WORST ADMINISTRATOR. THESE DESCRIPTIONS WERE DICHOTOMIZED INTO TWO CATEGORIES: TASK COMPLETION (I.E., 'A GOOD ORGANIZER') AND PEOPLE ORIENTATION (I.E., 'WON'T LIE'). THE FINDINGS SHOWED THAT SHERIFFS PERCEIVE A GOOD BOSS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A MIX OF GOOD PEOPLE AND GOOD TASK-ORIENTED CHARACTERISTICS. WHEN DESCRIBING THE WORST BOSS, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY NEGATIVE PEOPLE-RELATED TERMS WERE USED. THESE RESULTS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAINING INSTITUTIONS IN THAT THEIR CURRICULA MUST INCLUDE METHODS TO CONTINUOUSLY SENSITIZE LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES TO THE EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CONSTITUENCIES. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)