NCJ Number
31893
Date Published
1975
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR PROPOSES A REORGANIZATION OF POLICE STRUCTURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INTO A SERIES OF DECENTRALIZED TEAMS CHARACTERIZED BY A MINIMUM NUMBER OF LAYERS OF COMMAND AND A SAFETY-WELFARE GENERALIST APPROACH TO POLICING.
Abstract
THE BENEFITS OF INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND CONSOLIDATION BETWEEN ALL PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS (POLICE, FIRE FIGHTERS, MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS, AND EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES) ARE OUTLINED. THE RESULT OF SUCH A CONSOLIDATION EFFORT WOULD BE A UNIFIED AGENCY OF SAFETY-WELFARE GENERALISTS WHO COULD DEAL WITH AN EXTREMELY WIDE RANGE OF SOCIETY'S PROBLEMS. NOTING THAT SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE REORGANIZATION IS UNLIKELY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE AUTHOR PROPOSES A SAFETY-WELFARE GENERALIST STRUCTURE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALONE AS A COMPROMISE MEASURE. UNDER SUCH AN ORIENTATION, MOST SPECIALIZED POLICE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS HOMICIDE BUREAUS OR COMMUNITY RELATIONS BUREAUS WOULD BE REPLACED BY THE SAFETY-WELFARE GENERALIST. A NUMBER OF GENERALIST TEAMS, SUPERVISED BY A TEAM COORDINATOR, WOULD BE FORMED. THE STEEP PYRAMIDAL STRUCTURE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO BE MODIFIED; CLUSTER CHIEFS IN CHARGE OF EACH TEAM WOULD BE DIRECTLY UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE POLICE CHIEF. FINALLY, SPECIALIST OFFICERS COULD BE BROUGHT IN BY EACH TEAM TO AID THE TEAM IN CERTAIN INVESTIGATIVE, EVALUATIVE OR SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS. SAMPLE ORGANIZATION CHARTS FOR THE POLICE GENERALIST ORGANIZATION ARE PROVIDED.