NCJ Number
80226
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 54 Issue: 4 Dated: (October-December 1981) Pages: 331-339
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The responsibilities of British chief constables in the 1980's are identified and discussed, with particular attention given to the circumstances of the West Midlands Police Force.
Abstract
The chief constable is responsible for the management of a police force, which includes the supervision of finances, physical resources, and personnel. The provision of modern personnel services includes recruitment, annual appraisal, selection, and training for varied posts and duties, as well as for promotion. Such administrative responsibilities require that a chief constable be given the opportunity to develop abilities to forecast, plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and control all aspects of police operations. Major issues facing chief constables in the administrative field in the years ahead are (1) the implementation of the Edmund-Davies recommendations on industrial democracy (it is a major change for most senior officers to be expected to discuss their policies with the joint branch board) and (2) setting priorities in expenditure in a situation where costs are continually increasing while budgets are being reduced. Operational demands in the 1980's are likely to see a reduction in personnel involvement in traffic control with the use of computer controlled systems, while crime will be a major focus, particularly the growing problem of computer-related crime. Public order will also be a major area of concern, which will include attention to 'hooliganism' at football matches and other public areas, violent crime in the streets, industrial disputes, and political demonstrations. Issues affecting all of these operations are the availability of manpower (a significant increase in manpower is unlikely, so existing manpower will have to be used more efficiently), police relationships with ethnic minority groups, and the new public suspicion of professional and administrative power. Some ways of dealing with these issues are suggested.