Bureaucracy is a managerial structure with a set of regulations formulated to govern activities within an organization. It aims at rationalizing the activities and ensuring that they get effectively and professionally executed. Its successful nature is bound to the state of the atmosphere within which it operates. A bureaucratic organization embraces strict guidelines and procedures yet its laxity to conform to changes is intriguing.
Bureaucratic organizations advocated members’ duties to be clearly and confined allowing little chance for deviation. Its structure constitutes various levels of management with the leader, the president of the organization, at the top of the hierarchal leadership pyramid (Burley, 2014). The other departments fall under the organization’s president. The vice presidents answer to the president whilst the directors are required to report to them. In terms of rank, managers are lower than directors, but higher than supervisors. The workers report to the supervisors at the very bottom level of the bureaucratic structure. The structure is in use by various instrumental bodies such as the police organizations (Burley, 2014).
Most of the current police organizational structures are similar to that adopted by the military (Conyers, n.d.). The police organizations usually embrace a centralized structure that heeds the ranks and hierarchal authority of the various members of the police force. The feature is characteristic of a bureaucratic structure and culture where discipline and hierarchy is essential in terms of flow of command, orders or information (Conyers, n.d.). It outlines the police officer’s distinct ranks within the organization carefully stating their functions, powers, and jurisdictions.
The police structure comprises departments with well-defined roles and areas of jurisdiction. The departments fall under the Chief Police Officer in charge who oversees the activities of the police force under his command. Another bureaucratic concept that stands out within the police organizations is the strict use of rank designations and its hierarchal command structure that narrows progressively towards the top of the leadership pyramid. The last component of the police organizational structure is their unity of command that reflects their unity in toiling to achieve set goals and objectives of the organization. The police also work under a well-defined set of rules and regulations (Moriarty, 2009). Their bureaucratic structure and management enable them to perform various departmental services with the aim of realizing a common set goal.
The service offered by the police organizations includes; provision of medical services through programs such as The Medical Reserve Corps program composed of health professionals (Docobo, 2005). The program’s main role is to help the citizens solve various health issues and address current public health needs. The program may involve police officers, citizens, and other health professionals.
The police force provides the citizens with emergency response training sessions through Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). The group educates citizens on emergency management planning and response to emergencies in an attempt to boost the skills and capacity to effectively and rapidly react to any emergency event (Docobo, 2005).
The main role of the police, however, is to ensure law and order is maintained whilst the rights of the citizens are safeguarded. They ensure safety through frequent patrols and security checks that they perform (Docobo, 2005). The traffic department within the police force is also responsible for the delicate role of ensuring the traffic rules are obeyed by both motorists and pedestrians to promote safer road transport.
In conclusion, bureaucratic organizational design forms the best organization structure that fits police institutions through its hierarchal rank based management structure driven by a common purpose.
References
Burley, K. (2014). What is a Bureaucratic Organization? Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/bureaucratic-organization-20379.html
Conyers, R. L. (n.d). Leadership Theories and Possible Changes to Police leadership. Florida: University of Central Florida. Retrieved from http://valenciacollege.edu/cji/documents/leadershiptheoriesandchange-randyconyers.doc
Docobo, J. (2005). Community Policing as a Primary Prevention Strategy for Homeland Security at the Local Law Enforcement Level. The Journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security, 1(1). Retrieved from http://www.hsaj.org/?fullarticle=1.1.4
Moriarty, S. E. (2009, May). The Leadership in Police Organizations Program in the Delaware state Police: Recommendations for Law Enforcement Leadership Development. Police Chief, 26(5). Retrieved from http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1792&issue_id=52009
