Supervision Of Police Personnel Flashcards
Do subordinates follow requests?
a. Most orders should be framed as requests. Experience clearly indicates that cooperation is most readily obtained through requests rather than commands. (P.52)
Best type of supervisor for critical incident?
Autocratic
Describe an autocratic leader?
Highly authoritative. Makes decisions without allowing subordinates to participate. Subs feel like they are not a part of th team. By the book leader. No one forgets that they are the boss. Rules through fear, intimidation and threat. Demands obedience from sub. Little concern for others. Employees will start to resist. They will sabotage the work effort in many ways to show displeasure. Only in times of unstableness, stress, emergency, no time for permissive leadership, and bold rapid action is needed, the autocratic leader is likely to succeed. (P. 35)
Leadership fail?
Lack of communication. Lack of training for subs. Oversupervision.
Span of control
Number of subordinates who can be supervised effectively by one supervisor. Limit is small from three to five at top level and broadens at lower levels. Tendency in police operations to exceed the bounds of effective control. Higher administrative officers too frequently attempt to exert direct control over too many subs. Supervisors can effectively reduce span of control by delegating work
Do you allow the subordinate help create a solution in a grievance interview?
Wherever possible an opportunity should be provided for the employee to participate actively in the solution to the problem.
Unusual occurrences - tactical deployment of field forces
a. Patrol officers are first to respond. Officers look for field supervisor for guidance. Officer actions must not be predicated on the assumption that they will be relieved.
b. One general framework for handling unusual occurrences of any kind is the Now, Scene, Future model. Now- initial orders while heading to scene for hazards, determines need for assistance. Scene – takes control and directs response, sets up perimeters, assigns responders tasks, keeps higher informed. Future- supervisor conducts debriefings and evaluates all reports to determine need for commendations, discipline, training, policy changes.
c. Principle objective should be to deploy available personnel and equipment rapidly to prevent escalation in later stages.
d. See chapter starting on 282
What is the exception principle?
Head of organization or unit with it should not find it necessary to act personally on each matter coming under his general jurisdition. Rather, act only on exceptional matters that require personal attention.
b. Exception principle is inseparable from the principle of delegation. It prevails at all levels of the organizational hierarchy and is dependent on the effective application of the delegation function which will free the superior from a mass of routine detail that might be better handled by other below him.
c. Training is key to application of this principle. (P. 28)
Civil Disturbance- does a show of force make demonstrators leave or disperse?
“Often such a display of force will cause dispersal without the necessity of making arrests”.
Civil disturbance- should we close in a civil disturbance to prevent escape?
No. Direct squad in such a manner that the crowd may escape theater than being forced into a position where it must attack police because no escape route is possible
Which is the most effective form of communication?
Democratic: The two way passing of information makes democratic communications easy. Permits development of ideas and enables participation. Forgo this option when speed is essential.
Avoidance of face to face encounters….
a. Despite fictional investigators success in face to face confrontations, experienced supervisors have found that only the rarest of occasions would a situation arise in which it would be advisable to bring the complainant and the accused employee together in an encounter. Would make a bad situation worse.
b. If an apology is demanded, supervisor should not allow for the apology to settle the matter. Still punish
c. Can use other id methods to ID officer if need be (p. 229)
Does the chief Delegate?
Yes!
What is a Disciplinary action interview
a. Employee with disciplinary matter is pending should be interviewed in two settings. Interviewed during investigation, then be informed of the findings, conclusions, recommendations, and penalty. It is the obligation of the supervisor to notify the sub of the findings in the investigation as promptly as possible.
b. Very few situations affect performance more than investigation into his conduct.
c. Informative interview done to notify them of conclusion. Tell if founded or unfounded
d. Supervisor should take responsibility if they had a part in it. Should. NOT blame the higher ups.
e. This is not a popularity contest. (P.138)
What is a Progress Interview
a. Can be used effectively to inform the employee of his progress, to review past performance, and to give constructive guidance concerning improvement required.
b. Objective is to aid them to engage in self-appraisal.
c. Can have positive effect on morale
d. Facts pertinent to the discussion should be clearly in mind.
e. Sufficient time should be given.
f. The interview should be contacted in a manner that will include specifics about the employees performance, not his personality, unless certain characteristics are being appraised on the report.
g. Sandwich technique. Good, bad, good.
h. Do not compare the interviewee with another person
i. The employee should be encouraged to express how they felt about their performance.
