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1..:/ '. ,:,..71....., . (' I Police Department Affairs: Some Answers by Bernard L. Garmire, Senior Consultant and Charles D. Hale, Principal Associate Public Administration Service M ~naging the.affairs Of. a PO..lice agency is.~me ~f.t.J:e. most impor~ant res~o~sibi1ities In local government today. Due to the hIgh vISIbIlIty of the pohce and Its Impact on the quality of life in the community, the character, temperament, and administra- tive ability of the police chief executive are of utmost importance. I I Moreover, the cllcctivel1l:ss of police chiefs, the way in which they run their department and kchlliques used to evaluate the police agency's pafonnance are often a directrelkction on the chid adrninistrative ofIicer of the city. Since the actions of the police directly affect the quality of life in the community, it is critically important to determine (a) your police chief's managerTlent style and (b) if the department is doing what it is supposed to do and if it is doing it properly. The Police Chief Unfortunately, many police executives today are simply not capable of performing the tasks expected of them. And, in many instances, the management style and capability of the police chief is the single most important factor in distinguishing between a progressive, responsive police service agency and a mediocre or substandard one. Many of the problems that have traditionally plagued police agencies can be traced directly to the inability of police chief executives to perform the duties expected of them. Why is this? There arc many factors which account for the police chief's problems. SOmc of these are unique to law enforcement, while others arc found in other areas of local government, and indeed, in the private sector as well. These factors are discussed bridly below. Complexity of Job Demands Few would argue with the fact that the job of man- aging a police department is rapidly evolving and growing more complex. If there was a time when the local chid of police could athrrd to sit back and let the departrnent run itself. that time is gone. More than ever before, police l,;hids arc hcld accountable for the Hcl ions of their departments. They are asked to be more sensitive and responsive to community needs and citizen demands. They arc expected to justify expenditures for police services. to evaluate the level and quality of those services. and to hold the lid on spending. They are l~xpected to set standards of l~xelllplary perfonnance lor tlwir subordinates, to demand high levels of performance, and to deal firmly with violations of ethical conduct and al,;ceptable police procedure. In short, they are expected to IIwlwge the all'airs of their department e1ticiently and effectively. Public Managcmcnt/Dccernbl'r 1979 Methods of Selection With the possible exception of fire departments. police agcncies arc notorious for their tendency to inbreed. Few "outsiders" enter the police profession except at the lowest ranks. The majority of all police chiefs arc appointcd from within the department, ,Hld in 1I10st cases outside candidates are not even considcrcd. This is in contrast to the city manage- ment profession, for example, which relics primarily on sl'lection fronl outside the organization. Many police chiefs have attained their positions primarily on thc basis of seniority, rather than demonstrated administrative and management ability. This is not a fault of the individual chief. but of the selection process. which is typically shackled by tradition and obsolescence. Lack of Job Preparation A grcat many police chiefs have not been adequately prepared, through job experience and advanced 1 raining, to perform the duties expected of them as chie!. Here again, the chief may not be totally respon- sible, since few departments have developed good prograrns to groom personnel for positions of higher authority and responsibility. In the absence of such programs. newly appointed chiefs are left to find their own way, often with very little understanding of what is expected of them or how to meet the goals uf the organization. 5