How to Correct Low Morale in a Small and Large Police Department - Term Paper Example

 Correcting Low Morale in Police Department Introduction Barry and Longman gave an epic account in The New York Times regarding the New Orleans police response after Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005 raising the questions about both the level of collective police morale and the effect of this on the perception of public. When a force of 1400 plus active police officers were landed on the havocked region for recovery programs implementations, the first thought that occurred to them was about the meanness of their duty, since there were a handful of people they could serve to. This thought was followed with a train of other thoughts like the disgusting conditions of their homes, the seclusion from their own families and most importantly, the reputation of their job. About 250 of them did away with their jobs. To add on the catastrophe, few of the police were suspended following allegations of standing by while looting was going on (Barry and Longman, Sept 30, 2005). Now, this brief narrative evokes some questions. First, if such a large number of the officers leave their job, can it be said that they are dedicated and honest towards the service for which they have taken a ceremonious oath? Secondly, if officers are being suspended while in harness, what is the assumption of the supervising authority and what kind of training have they been given that made eligible for such a job? Thirdly, does the job profile include anything that brings satisfaction? Fourthly, has the employer spent a single thought over the material and emotional rewarding for the service that the employees are providing? According to Schroeder and Lombardo, “morale is a state of mind, which reflects the degree to which a member of an organization has confidence in the organization and the other members of his work group; morale is also a reflection of the degree to which a worker believes in the objectives of the organization, and desire to accomplish them” (Schroeder and Lombardo, 2004, p.122). My responsibilities as police chief Morale is a shared feeling among a working group and it is the confidence and willingness to perform a task. In the working of the police department, there must have something to do with the problem if the morale of the officers is low. Schroeder and Lombardo have listed a number of possible factors responsible for low morale. Although they were not drawn from the exclusive domain of police service, they are quite applicable in our discussion. These factors are quality of the leadership, remuneration levels and other benefits, discipline in the organization, opportunity of growth and promotion, and working conditions (Schroeder and Lombardo, 2004, p.123). Improper supervision of the seniors, the police chiefs or the government is often responsible for the low productivity of the officers. In certain instances, the misconduct and the mismanagement can be interpreted as the spring of a series of police misdemeanors. Being a police chief in the Texas Police Department my duty is to ensure that the routine day-to day functions of the officers are carried out effectively. To be more specific, I am required to manage the patrolling officers in the field and supervise their activities, enforcing rules and regulations, conducting inspections and maintaining discipline in the system environment. I am also required to prepare reports on the performance of the department as a whole and if any anomaly is noticed I have to report up the managerial ladder. Problem 1 (human Nature, training, selection) The Melbourne police department was tossed with controversy in early 2010 due to the misconducts of certain officers including the chief. An entire flurry of controversial events were brought into the media after the department witnessed the suspension of officer knott, as a result of a firing at a robber, which the officer described as merely accidental (Morale Low At Embattled Melbourne Police Department, March, 2010). In January, Don Carey, the chief ordered the arrest of another officer Carter accusing him of issuing false traffic tickets. Chris Buccelli was sacked last year for having sex with a prostitute while on duty and in uniform. After Knott was suspended, the police union declared no confidence in Carey. They argued that the ironhanded discipline was responsible for the worsened morale of the entire department (Morale Low At Embattled Melbourne Police Department, March, 2010). This report is important not only for then fact that it shows the effect mismanagement on the subordinates but also discovers certain other human frailties that contribute to the degradations of work ethics. It brings out the rearview of the dishonesty that is responsible for the decline in reputation of the service. The irrational impulses in the police officers can to a certain extent be the undergrowth of the weak human nature but it undoubtedly points to the assumption of the occupation and subsequently leads t o the scrutiny of the training that are generally given to the novices. Recommendations In the defense services, elaborate training programs are not meant to make the apprentice physically fit and enduring but also to empower him to be psychologically capable of internalizing the values that the profession upholds. Rigorous psychological test is intended to elevate thee moral, standard of officers more than anything else. Therefore it becomes clear that the selection process and the subsequent training imparted to the employee are imperfect. Certain methods in the selection process can be followed. I agree with Bartol and Bartol that selection should be made in certain phases although there is no uniformity in the selection process through the world. The phases as proposed by them are “background investigation, medical exam, interview, application, and psychological assessment” (Bartol and Bartol, 2006, p.32). The writers also note that the reasons for the difference in the testing procedure in various departments are diverse and this is because of the specific nature of the duty. In some department, as reported by Bartol and Bartol, drug test and polygraph is employed in order to reduce to chances of physical infirmity that may lead to recurrent sick leave (Bartol and Bartol, 2006, p.33). The psychological test must take into consideration the emotional aspects of the incumbent apart from testing his reasoning ability. This necessity to check the emotional health is precipitated by the particular nature of the profession in question. A simple sight blood can destabilize an officer’s composure. The examination of behavioral pattern is also helpful in reducing the chance of misconduct. The strenuous psychological test should make sure that the officers are immune to various temptations that may arise out of the weakness inherent in human nature. The incumbent should also be able to retain his sanity and take a rational step in moments of tension, like when he is chasing an offender. Problem 2 (taking bribe) Example rare not rare where an officer is subjected to the temptation of taking bribe or other misconduct, when some of his colleagues are receiving bribe in front him. There are other things like the safety of the public, which is linked to the misconduct of the police. Even letting go a car in exchange of a small amount of illegal money can enhance the risk of road accidents. A similar instance can be seen in the columns of The New York Times dated March 25, 2008. Reportedly the then president Vladimir Putin criticized the Russian police for failing to close about two million pending cases. The same article also suggests that he held bribe taking responsible for the traffic accidents (Schwrtz, March, 2008). Low remuneration of the police is not the only reason behind receiving bribe and other material amenities from the civilians and neophyte offenders. Because I haave seen from experience that even after the officers are promoted with a pretty good increment in their salary, they can not refrain from that primitive gluttony. In addition, even some middle ranks officers are also involved in such scams. According to Ivkovic “police officers, bound by the nature of their occupation and the paramilitary structure of the police, learn during their socialization process that they need to turn a blind eye on misconduct by fellow police officers, which in turn enables them to rely on their assistance when they need it” (Ivkovic, 2003, p.598). Recommendations The psychological test should be capable of bringing out these types of vulnerability. In order to curb the propensity among the police of taking bribe, intense control can be instilled by the use of video services to capture the incidents as was done in during the Peru police reform. Those incidents can be broadcasted in the television showing citizens of both sexes trying to bribe police and thus we can unfold the ‘persuasive nature of police corruption’. The seniors in the beginning may resist such an initiative but this will definitely have positive development on the corruption level. This method may be useful in another way, as it will also reflect the shameful mass culture apart from showing the police corruption (Costa, p.223) Problem 3 (Haughty behaviors with the citizens) Furthermore today we are increasingly becoming aware that ordinary citizens are not comfortable in reporting crimes to the police, especially in cases of rape and robbery. It reflects the commoner’s perception of police and the relation between the police and the citizens. Far from being a place of problem discussion and sorting out solution, Police station has turned into a place of dread and abhorrence. I have seen in during my tenure as an officer that the way my colleagues are dealing with the complainer is frightening to them rather than assuring. Probably the officers are not inclined to engage in their duty with the inclination that it requires. According to Gottschalk, “police crime is enabled by the special powers given to police officers in the law enforcement…To abuse women while in custody is attractive because police officers control the environment in which it happens” (Gottschalk, 2009, p.438). The incident of frequent sick leave is just another manifestation of low attachment to the profession. Recommendation In such situations there is no other way than to compel impart rigid disciplines and regulations and if it yields no result, then they can be reported to the higher authority. Even temporary suspension can be of help. A continuous effort should be employed to bring changes in the practices of a team. Even if one officer is corrupt, it can stimulate others. So the best thing that the supervising sergeant, who is the immediate superior to the officer in the hierarchical order, should be given discretionary power to hold inspection among the officers found guilty of dealing with the citizens in improper manner. Problem 4 (communication with public) It is often seen that the communication between the police and the public is not what it should be. These cases are more frequent in a country, which is plural in nature and harbors people of different ethnic origins. Ryan Mac reported in The New York Times that in the beginning of 2010, the selection of a Vietnamese-American Capt. Ngo as a deputy chief in the San Jose Police Department was a boost to the Vietnamese community. The nature of the ethnic struggle was apparent in the killing of Vietnamese man who was mentally ill and in the beating of a police officer by an American-Vietnamese student (Mac, February, 2010). The reason might be the inability of the police to prioritize the demands of the locals or the particular set citizens they are serving. Acute communication gap between the police and the citizens is the primary reason behind such incidents. An ordinary citizen is unaware of what the police is doing and what the assumption of the state is regarding the migrants. The tension chiefly comes from the ethnic diversity within an area that comes under the jurisdiction of a single police station. There are two issues that are to be dealt with in this connection. First there is communication between the police and the public and the gap within the administrative system, between the management and the police officers. In addition to that some issues may exist that cause problems and are not easily solved. Recommendation Meeting with the public with proactive interest of a senior officer with the senior partners of the public can effect the desired connection between police and public. The disenchantment because of the lack of public recognition that is often the cause of the low level of spirit among the officers can be addressed in such collaborative meetings. In such a situation “the government will expect the lead police authority member of an area to call an extraordinary public meeting with the senior officer of the individual command unit to discuss the issue further and seek resolutions” (Protecting the Public, 2009, p.48). Hypothetically enough, if It is seen that the members of the local public organization are reluctant to attend the meetings called by the commanding units, not only be a good intention wasted but also the reputation of their job would be questioned by the officers. Intransigence of the people that police service can be ruinous for the whole system. Great Britain in early 2010 took some initiative in order to make sure that the production level of the officers is periodically monitored. For a better communication between the superintendent and those who are serving under him, the government declared that every police authority would hold at least three ‘Public Security Meeting a year at the level of individual command unit’ (Protecting the Public, 2009, p.47). According to the government assumption this meetings would be used to discuss their performance. Identical measures can be resorted in other police departments so that there is no communication gap in the overall functioning of the department. Such meeting can be more effective by paying due attention to the suggestions of the officers. Because they are given proper attention that would give them the feeling of being a responsible professional and consequently, their anguish over low satisfaction would be alleviated to some extent. This process also requires greater collaboration between the senior police chief and the inspectors. Under circumstances the authority needs to consider the matter as a part of their core security concern. The key feature of this kind of policy is to meet the public demand that will boost the energy and the working spirit of the police. But there is a setback of this policy. Because not only this kind of special redressing of public concerns are time consuming and requires specialization but also runs the risk of facing vexing complaints (Protecting the Public, 2009, p. 48). Problem 5 (Low enthusiasm in work) Inability of the government to improve officer’s circumstance as a whole may lead the officer to take some paltry steps that are considered to be inconsistent with the rank he holds. The reason of this low morale stems sometimes from the personal sense of being undervalued. The concentration of the authority in the hands of the executive police officers… results in a loss of initiative in the middle and lower ranks” (Chan, 1997, p.124). It is often seen that the police officers at the seniors level try to exert monopoly in offering suggestions for change and implementation of plans. The frustration and disappointment from such incidents lead the lower rank officers to conform to the practices going on in the other departments and in colleagues. Recommendations Human resource management also partakes the management in the police and defense organization. Staff remuneration is a key element that is related to the personal integrity of the staff. The government’s responsibility is not just to recruit the proper personnel for the law enforcing purpose but the more important task is to retain the work force of a team. It should provide the officers with the scope to improve their skills and also the proper work environment that not only recognize their effort but also support that same. According to Wulf and Sokol, “providing appropriate conditions of employment, and in particular, remunerations that include bonus and rewards for good performances, and that can sustain a reasonable standard of living, are crucial (Wulf and Sokol, 2005, p.81). Material benefit can be taken to be the immediate reason behind such a low level of enthusiasm among the police officers. They are to be given a remuneration that enables them to maintain a particular standard of life. The officers should be allowed to deal with the cases individually and given the scope of offering suggestions and plans so that they are given recognition for the post they hold. For effective internal and external management, new policing methods like “decentralization into district command, involving the appointment of a head police officer at every district” can put an end to the police corruption, which arises from the aggressive attitude towards citizens (Costa, 2006, p.225). Another method is the computerization of the administrative infrastructure, which can submit reports within a stipulated time depriving the corrupted officers of the means of using excuse to cover their intentional inability to delay in solving problems. Such delay is another reason of the growing distrust in police. The advent of information technology is highly useful in a large police department. This computerization requires investment but that should be a concern because it will lead to better communication within the system and it will lead to expediency in the service. Furthermore, the central managing authority should make the information of every police units empowered with computer facility accessible and easily available in the national police database. The availability of the information can also make the task of assessing performance simple (Costa, 2006, p.226). Conclusion As the police is the public watchdog, we have a greater responsibility than is commonly imagined. The law and order of the civil society are highly dependent on our services. If the department experiences low morale, the apathy of the government and the supervising authority can push the society towards a debilitating state. It is clear from the above analysis that the nature of corruption in different countries varies and accordingly different measures have been taken to solve these issues. In order to obtain a healthy public administration system decentralization of power is necessary and proper division off labor is also essential. It is, however, necessary to mention that a constitutional state is not simply a state abided by the explicit law but rather it is a society that is based on a respect of the law along with certain other implied laws regarding the permissible practices. A constitutional state cannot entirely rely on the acceptance of the laws that have been codified in the constitution. It is the responsibility of every individual to assume a moral standard that matches the expectation of the state (Brown, 1994, p.174). References Barry D. and J Longman, (Sept, 30, 2005), “Storm and Crisis: Law Enforcement; A police department racked by doubt and accusations”, New York Times available at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E3DB1330F933A0575AC0A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all (accessed on August 14, 2010) Bartol C. R. and A. M. Bartol (2006), Current perspectives in forensic psychology and criminal justice, UK, SAGE Brown C., (1994), Police Restructuring in Europe, UK, Routledge Costa G. (2006), Two steps forward, One and a half steps back: Police reform in Peru, 2001-2004, Civil Wars, vol. 8 no. 2, pp. 215-230 Chan J. B. L. (1997), Changing police culture, Oxford University Press Gottschalk P. (2009), Policing police crime: the case of criminals in the Norwegian police, Nydalsveien-37, No-0442, Oslo, Norwegian School of Management Ivkovic S. K. (2003), To Serve and Collect: measuring police corruption, USA, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, vol-93, no-2-3, available at: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6700/is_2-3_93/ai_n29024257/ (accessed on August 19, 2010) “Morale Low At Embattled Melbourne Police Department”, (March 2010), WESH.Com, available at: http://www.wesh.com/news/22760147/detail.html (accessed on August 14, 2010) Mac R. (Feb 5, 2010), New Deputy in San Jose May Foster Good Will with Vietnamese, New York Times, Available at: http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/new-deputy-in-san-jose-may-foster-good-will-with-vietnamese/ (Accessed on August 16, 2010) Protecting the Public: supporting the police to succeed, (2009), London: The Stationary Office Schwrtz M., (March, 2008), Russians Explain Their Distrust of Police, New York Times, available at: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/russians-explain-their-distrust-of-police/, (accessed on August 14, 2010) Schroeder D J. and F. A. Lombardo, (2004), Police Sergeant Exam, Barron’s Educational Series Stevens D. S. (2008), An introduction to American policing, Jones and Barlett Learning Wulf L. D. and J. B. Sokol, (2005), Custom Modernization Handbook, World Bank Publications Read More