NCJ Number
125031
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1990) Pages: 49-59
Date Published
1990
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes the International Association of Police Chiefs (IACP) in order to determine to what degree municipal police meet the organizational attribute of professionalization. One measure of this attribute is the extent to which a profession is organized for the purpose of developing and discussing theoretical concepts and operational methods.
Abstract
The membership of the IACP is analyzed by estimating the number of officers in each rank using data from the IACP directory, Uniform Crime Reports, and the Municipal Yearbook. The findings indicate that using either participatory or representational criteria, the police occupation is not professionally organized, suggesting that police officers have not achieved professional status according to the attributional model. One reason for this failure could be the antagonistic relationships between police managers and police officers. Police organizations, including the IACP are more concerned with work-related issues rather than research, theory development, and operational problems. 3 tables, 19 references. (Author abstract modified)