Week 2 discussion
DQ1
Organizational
Structure
The organization of a police department has a profound
effect on the operations of the department. Ideally, roles and responsibilities
should be well-defined. However, in smaller agencies, there may be one person
wearing several hats.
Please review Chapter 5, “A Primitive Theory of Police
Organizational Structure” in Organizational Structure in American Police
Agencies: Context, Complexity and Control. This is a very detailed overview of
police organizational structure.
Then, please take a look at the Police Chiefs Desk
Reference. This is an excellent resource, but I don’t expect you to read all
300 pages. Instead, begin on pages 20 and 21 which discuss organizational
design and the five functional areas of a police department.
Which functional area is most important? Why?
If you had to cut personnel due to budget reductions, where
would you cut? Why? (You cannot use Organizational Services as your answer.
This is usually a part of the organization that is not heavily staffed and cuts
from this are are not likely to have a significant effect.)
You should support your opinions with other parts of the
Police Chiefs Desk Reference or another outside source.
In addition to posting your answer, please be sure to
respond to at least two of your classmates.
DQ2
Mission Statement
Criminal justice agencies (like all organizations) should
have well-defined mission and vision statements. Many law enforcement agencies
have “reinvented” themselves to be more community service oriented
(as opposed to the hard-line, lock ’em up philosophy). Before completing this
discussion, please review the Learning Resources for Week 2. You must cite at
least one relevant resource (either from the class or from your own research)
in your response.
Do not use a federal agency for either of your selections.
Please select a state, county or municipal agency. Review prior posts of other students. You may NOT select an agency that has already
been used.
1. Please do some research and locate a mission or vision
statement of a criminal justice agency that you believe is focuses more on
traditional law and order. Please post it with the URL.
2. Please do some research and locate a mission or vision
statement of a criminal justice agency that you believe is focuses more on the
overall quality of life in the community. Please post it with the URL.
3.Which of the two mission statements is better in your
opinion? Is it time to scrap the hard-line philosophy for a more inclusive
approach? Or have some agencies gone too far to be inclusive and lost track of
the fact that laws need to be enforced?
Another resource that may be helpful may be found at
https://www.policeone.com/chiefs-sheriffs/articles/5994593-5-things-I-hate-about-department-mission-statements/.
If you are part of a criminal justice organization, you may use your own
mission or vision statement or select one from another agency.
I am not requiring that you post first so you are able to
see what your classmates selected. However, please DO NOT DUPLICATE an agency
that was already discussed by a classmate.
