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doi: 10.1350/pojo.2013.86.4.630pmid: N/A
This study used a Force Field Analysis to assess the attitudes of American police supervisors regarding the use of volunteers in policing. Organisations exist in a state of quasi-stable equilibrium, and any planned change should work to identify the driving and restraining forces that function to maintain that equilibrium. For example, economic conditions may force police agencies to utilise volunteers to handle many policing tasks, but this may threaten the equilibrium of police organisations and traditional police culture. For this study a national sample of police supervisors completed a survey with attitude measures related to the use of volunteers in police work. Driving and restraining forces are identified and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Findings indicate that, with respect to the driving forces, the items associated with organising the community and community policing may be limited in their strength as driving forces. The power of the restraining forces indicates that the use of volunteers in policing is acceptable to this cohort of police supervisors. Aggressiveness in policing is a fairly strong restraining force. Bivariate correlation results indicate that supervisors with higher levels of education contribute to positive views of several volunteer aspects. Also, more experienced police supervisors do not feel volunteers are more trouble than they are worth. There appears to be a strong relationship between the need for volunteers as part of an agency's community policing philosophy, and volunteers are seen as important to reducing crime and disorder. Finally, several significant results suggest that volunteers are accepted within the police culture.
Carson, David; Nash, Mike; Clift, Suzie
doi: 10.1350/pojo.2013.86.4.632pmid: N/A
The business literature distinguishes ‘tame’ and ‘wicked’ problems. Ten cited differences emphasise that, whilst the former have correct solutions, we cannot agree on the correct analysis of, let alone solutions for, the latter. Whilst administration and management are appropriate for tackling tame problems, wicked problems require leadership. Many policing decisions, and other public protection and human services, involve ‘wicked’ problems. Thus they require leadership, rather than administration or management. This article explains these points and discusses the implications.
doi: 10.1350/pojo.2013.86.4.633pmid: N/A
The number of police officers is generally a matter of great public and political concern. In the 2006 Swedish national election campaign, the opposition coalition promised that, if they were elected, they would increase police manpower by 15% by the year 2010. The coalition parties won and formed the new government; the promised increase in police numbers was subsequently achieved. The research question examined in this article is quite straightforward: would such an increase in the number of police officers have any impact on crime, in particular residential burglary? Police and crime data have been collected for the period 2001–12 from a random sample of 145 municipalities. Using a dynamic panel data analysis, a negative and statistically significant association between police levels and residential burglary is found. A 10% increase in police rate produces roughly a 2% decrease in burglary, controlling for the burglary rate in previous years and in adjacent municipalities, and also various social, economic and demographic characteristics. The results are in line with previous research findings, mainly from the US. In 2015, the Swedish police will be merged into a single national agency, the largest police reform in 50 years. The overall findings are discussed in relation to this reform.
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