Police Organizational Design and Structure.
Public agencies traditionally adhere to vertical organizational structure. That is to say that the problems with police structure cannot be simply changed at one level. Each department must go through a complete over hall. Individuals that hold a certain level of superiority over others in the police organizations make the decisions. This dose not allow for much change to occur at any level. .
The structural design of the modern police organization has not gone through many changes since its introduction. Some law enforcement administrators experimented with numerous efficiency models "directed patrol, split-force patrol, and saturation patrol "to increase productivity, lower costs and foster better relations between their agencies and the public (Johnson, 1994). .
The only problem with all of these programs is that they just improve the public relations with the public, not the actual structure or the organizational efficiency of the department. According to Robert A. Johnson, a writer for the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, there are three ways to improve the police organizational structure. .
The first is to give the power back to those on the streets. Responding to crime problems within the community requires a flexible structure that allows officers to make necessary adjustments both quickly and efficiently (Johnson, 1994). Law enforcement structure in its current form designates a formal reporting relationship called, "the chain of command."" This relationship groups individuals for the purpose of getting tasks done, insures the communication between individuals, and allows for the response to any situations. The empowerment of the employees at all levels gives the officer out in the field to decisions such as, the calling of specialized forces for assistance in a matter. The community oriented policing concept also gives the power back to the patrol officer.
