Police and the Public

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how police organizations have evolved into tightly organized hierarchies of authoritarian leadership in order to cope with the risks they face. The paper explains that this can be problematic in providing community safety in a way that establishes a pattern of trust between the community and the police. The paper maintains that focusing on the problems affecting a community, rather than destroying the 'enemy' invaders should be the primary goal of policing. The paper shows how this can only happen if the police organizations undergo a restructuring in order to become more communicative organizations.

From the Paper:

"Police organizations are not military organizations. However, the police face many of the same demands and risks as soldiers in the field of combat, over the course of their daily working lives. To cope with these risks, such as violent offenders and a hostile environment, police organizations have evolved into tightly organized hierarchies of authoritarian leadership. Police bureaucracies pride themselves upon loyalty to organizational rules and authority, much like a military organization obeys a strict chain of command when it is engaged in decision-making."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Historical Context within Jerome Skolnick's Theory of Police Organization." (2006) Crime Theory. Retrieved 31 Jul 2006 athttp://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/skolnick.htm
• O'Connor, T. (2004) "Police Organization." Criminal Justice: Lecture 7. Retrieved 31 Jul 2006 at http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/205/205lect07.htm
• Weber, Diana Celia. (1999) "Warrior Cops: The ominous growth of Paramilitarism in American Police Departments." 20 Aug 1999. No. 50. The Cato Institute. Retrieved 31 Jul 2006 at http://www.cato.org/pubs/briefs/bp50.pdf

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