Criminal Law
In this particular case, the communication process that was used by the police chief and the patrol division was not an effective method of communication. The act of the police officer in directing your secretary to post a memo that every road patrol officer is mandated to wear a bulletproof vest at all times effective immediately, without allowing the police officers to use their discretion signifies an autocratic type of leadership. There is a strong indication that the concerned parties did not undergo a dialogue to discuss their thoughts and sentiments regarding the daily use of bulletproof vests. Communication, negotiation and conflict resolution are the important skills that the chief of police should possess. He must be able to communicate with his subordinates and negotiate favorable positions for their unit (Gaines and Worrall, 2011). The chief of police can be communicate more effectively if he understood the position of his subordinates regarding the problem and look for the solution that will work best for all concerned parties. It is vital that he enters into peaceful negotiation. This will result to a more peaceful resolution if all parties reached a common decision.
There are major barriers to effective communication between unions and administration which include framing differences, defensiveness, status differences, physical distance, group size, internal conflict, language issues and prejudgments (Davis, 2008). Unions and administration should be able to understand the root cause of the problem in order to arrive at a peaceful resolution. The case illustrated involves a conflict which can distract the organizational mission. Therefore, the chief of police must take measures to recognize its existence and take a definitive action to eliminate the problem. To become a good leader, he must be a skilled negotiator by understanding the proper manner of negotiating with the union and the police subordinates (Gaines and Worall, 2011, p.237).
The communications process between the chief of police and patrol division is important in every law enforcement department. The timing of communications represents a critical factor affecting the implementation of a new policy in the agency. Hence, the timing of when to implement the policy should have given the chief of police, patrol division and the union to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed policy. This will help them forecast the potential risks that may affect the operation of the agency. Thus, smooth communication systems and organizational culture is best achieved if each concerned party is given the opportunity to vent out his opinion with regard to the new policies to be implemented.
Ortmeier (2006) stated that the aspect of human relations within the department is an essential component of policing because it strengthens the bond among the members. The unity and cooperation between the police officers, patrol division and chief of police will result to a better cooperation in terms of reporting crimes, resources and information given to the police by the people. Studies have shown that less authoritarian and flexible reasoning of the chief of police can affect the police officer’s performance of the assigned tasks, solving problems, communication skills and interpersonal skills, social awareness and how the officer’s participation in community awareness (Dempsey and Forst, 2011).
Ortmeier (2006) argued that for a police officer to be able to become effective in the agency, there are skills and qualities that have to be born. These characteristics shall include integrity, proper attitude, good communication skills, leadership, sound judgment, and human relations. In addition, police officers and new recruits should possess cognitive skills, knowledge and technical skills for better performance. Earning the trust and support of the community members is attainable if the police officers perform their responsibilities to the best of their abilities.
In the case of the chief of police, he was supposed to enter negotiations with the union and the designated representative of officers within his department. It bears stressing that police attitude is vital to be able to solve the problems within the agency. As the chief of police, he is confronted with the issue on whether the bullet proof vest should be worn in the agency at all times. Hence, as the chief of police, he should have entered into a compromise with the union and the designated representative of officers. This shows that he addresses problems within his department in a proactive manner and not only following his own instincts. To be a good head of the department, he should advocate peace and cooperation among the members. In this manner, there is a greater chance to develop unity and harmony within the department in the fulfillment of their goals.
According to Baker (2010), police leaders have immediately shifted police strategies from reactive to proactive approach. It is vital to adopt flexibility in the decision-making of police leaders and officers to be able to successfully achieve the goals of the department. At present the focus is not on the command and control but instead on the decentralization of responsibilities among the officers and with the participation of the community. Police management has shifted to a participatory style of leadership that does not concentrate on control, but rather on the importance of motivating the members of the department towards the achievement of the department’s mission. Flexible leadership is an effective style that will benefit the employee, the employer and the citizens, within the law enforcement.
DeLord and Sanders (2006) stated that in terms of labor relations, police management and labor have been encountering issues such as departmental reorganizations, and promotions of officers. With the use of flexible leadership, the police management and labor will be able to arrive at a mutual understanding to promote the best interest of the agency. In times of controversial issues that necessitates contractual changes, police management and labor should resolve the issues of mutual concern that for the benefit of all parties, without engaging professional negotiators to resolve any dispute. Aside from this, the police officers must also be given the opportunity to voice out their opinions in creating policies that will be implemented within the department. Thus, flexible leadership is important in managing and operating the police agency. This principle has been derived from the Greek fabulist Aesop, who once said that “It is better to bend, than to break” (Etter and Palmer, 1995). It has been proven that through flexible leadership, the police managers will be able to motivate, manage and lead the people towards the accomplishment of the mission, goals and objectives of the department. It will enhance the productivity of the employees because a leader who is employee-centered decentralizes to his subordinates a part of his decision-making power and aides them in satisfying their needs by advocating a supportive work environment.
References
Baker, T. E. (2011). Effective Police Leadership: Moving Beyond Management. New York:
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Davis, J.H. (2008). Interpersonal Communication Skills in the Workplace, 2nd ed. USA: AMACOM:
Dempsey, J.S. and Forst, L.S. (2011). Introduction to Policing. New York: Cengage.
DeLord, R., & Sanders, J. (2006, August). Police labor-management relations (Vol. I):
Perspectives and practical solutions for implementing change, making reforms, and
handling crisis for managers and union leaders. Web. July 13, 2013, from
Retrieved from www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Etter, B. and Palmer, M. (1995). Police Leadership in Australasia. Annandale, NSW: Federation
Press.
Gaines, L. K. and Worrall, J. L. (2011). Police Administration. Belmont, California.
Ortmeier, P. J. (2006). Introduction to law enforcement and criminal justice, 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Swanson, C. R., Territo, L., & Taylor, R. W. (2012). Police administration: Structures,
processes, and behavior, 8th ed. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
