Chapter 3 Organizing the Police Department

This chapter will give insight into how a police department actually works This chapter deals with organizing a police department Certain commonly accepted rules of management must be followed to accomplish the goals of the organization This chapter will include a discussion of leadership and some important organizational concepts The intent of this chapter is to cover as many complexities of the police organization as possible Introduction

DIVISION OF LABOR Personnel, area, time, and function or purpose Geographic and time distinctions Organization chart MANAGERIAL DEFINITIONS Organization Bureaucracy Management Organizing the Department: Managerial Concepts

An organization is defined as “…a deliberate arrangement of people doing specific jobs, following particular procedures in order to accomplish a set of goals determined by some authority.”

Bureaucracy Defined--Weber 1. Hierarchy 2. Promotion based on professional merit and skill 3. Development of a career service 4. Reliance on and use of rules and regulations 5. Impersonality of relationships among career professionals in the bureaucracy

Management Management: The process of running an organization so that the organization can accomplish its goals.

Planning Organizing Directing Staffing Coordinating Reporting Budgeting Traditional Principles of Management

MANAGERS/SUPERVISORS OR LEADERS? Descriptions of leaders Leadership is essential in police management Leadership training Better agencies Better delivery of Service ETHICAL LEADERSHIP Demonstrate integrity Stand your ground Starts at the top Set the tone Courtesy of © Tom Carter/Photo Edit Inc. Organizing the Department: Managerial Concepts

Management vs. Leadership? Management is the process of running an organization Leadership inspires, teaches, motivates people in the organization to achieve goals and objectives

TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL AND STRUCTURE Quasi-military organization Trained to maintain order, serve and protect the public (not trained as warriors to fight foreign enemies). Scientific Management (Frederick Taylor) Organizing the Department: Managerial Concepts

CHAIN OF COMMAND (HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY) Superior–subordinate relationship May be violated when an emergency exists Always starts with the Chief of Police

Chief Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Patrolman Chain of Command establishes definitive lines of authority and channels of communication within the agency

SPAN OF CONTROL Number of officers a superior can supervise effectively Experts say one supervisor for every 6 to 10 officers The number is affected by many factors Time, distance, personality, complexity of work Organizing the Department: Managerial Concepts

DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY Tasks Duties Responsibilities All are assigned to subordinates Given authority to complete the tasks

UNITY OF COMMAND Directly accountable to only one supervisor May be violated in emergency situations RULES, REGULATIONS, AND DISCIPLINE Designed to control and direct actions Most departments have operations manuals Rule books are often complex and detailed Disciplinary standards similar to military Violations can lead to sanctions Managing employee problems Organizing the Department: Managerial Concepts

OVERVIEW Shared leadership Renewed interest in the 1980s and 1990s Success in Japanese industry Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Police Department (BAPD) NYPD’s CompStat program Alternative Organizational Models and Structures

THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM Pendleton Act: Federal Law passed in 1883 Most departments governed by civil service regulations Helps to reduce political influence SWORN AND NONSWORN (CIVILIAN) PERSONNEL Sworn members: have traditional police powers Nonsworn (civilian) members: assigned to nonenforcement duties Organizing by Personnel

RANK STRUCTURE Head of the agency Chief of police or police commissioner Highly organized rank structure Departments may use different titles OTHER PERSONNEL Civilianization Community Service Officers (CSOs) Police Reserves/Auxiliaries Organizing by Personnel

SOME PERSONNEL ISSUES Lateral transfers Differences in policing philosophy Police pension systems POLICE UNIONS Public-sector unionism is growing Unions have become increasingly political Blue flu Other police affiliations Organizing by Personnel

BEATS Smallest geographic area that can be patrolled effectively Can be patrolled by many methods: foot, car, mounted, bicycle, etc. PRECINTS/DISTRICTS/STATIONS The entire collection of beats Precinct house or station house The desk or desk officer Organizing by Area

THE THREE-TOUR SYSTEM Separates each day or 24-hour period Shifts, platoons, or watches Approximately five officers required to cover each beat 24/7/365. TOUR CONDITIONS Midnight tour Day tour Usually during normal business hours Evening tour Generally the busiest Organizing by Time

STEADY (FIXED) TOURS Much like most other workers in the United States Eliminate shift work issues Based on seniority or the officer’s own choice TOUR LENGTH: 8 HOURS, 10 HOURS, or 12 HOURS 8-hour tour is most commonly used Overtime issues Organizing by Time

LINE AND STAFF (SUPPORT) FUNCTIONS Line: Directly facilitate the accomplishment of organizational goals Staff: Supplement line units in their task performance POLICE DEPARTMENT UNITS Operational units Administrative units Auxiliary services units. Organizing by Function or Purpose Courtesy of AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian

Operational Units Activities performed in direct assistance to the public. Patrol Traffic Criminal investigation Vice Organized crime Juvenile services Crime prevention Community relations

Administrative Units Activities for the benefit of the organization, not to the public as a whole. Personnel Training Planning and analysis Clerical/secretarial Internal affairs Budget and finance Intelligance

Auxiliary Service Units Activities that benefit other units within the police department, on a regular and more frequent basis than administrative units. Records Communications Laboratory Detention

Police Reserve/Auxiliaries Standards and training Tourist destinations Major events Cost effectiveness

Organizations consist of a deliberate arrangement of people doing specific jobs and following particular procedures to accomplish a set of goals Leaders motivate, teach, coordinate, communicate, inspire, and set examples Police organizations use quasi-military or military models of organization Power sharing methods have found little acceptance in police organizations Unionization has a long and colorful history in policing Summary