U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

EFFECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PATROL AND INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS - PART 1

NCJ Number
68697
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 49 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 1-7
Author(s)
J J STAFT
Date Published
1980
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE FIRST PART OF AN EXTENSIVE REPORT ON POLICE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION ANALYZES THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY SPECIALIZATION OF INVESTIGATIVE AND PATROL UNITS.
Abstract
THE TRADITIONAL BASIS FOR MOST POLICE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION IS FOUND IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS SCHOLARS BULICK AND URWICK. BOTH ADVOCATE THE DIVISION OF LABOR BECAUSE THE RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED IN A MODERN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SO GREAT THAT ONE PERSON COULD NOT BECOME EXPERT IN ALL AREAS. THE DIVISION IS USUALLY MADE ACCORDING TO PURPOSE, PROCESS, CLIENTELE, PLACE, AND TIME. SUCH SPECIALIZATION OF POLICING FUNCTIONS HAS HAD BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON COMMUNICATION AMONG THE MEMBERS OF A POLICE AGENCY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPECIALIZATION OF UNITS ACCORDING TO PURPOSE ENSURES EXPERT WORK IN EACH AREA, SUCH AS DETECTION, APPREHENSION, AND PROSECUTION. HOWEVER, WHEN MORE THAN ONE UNIT IS ASSIGNED TO THE SAME TASK, RIVALRY PROMPTS INFORMATION WITHHOLDING. ALTHOUGH PATROLMEN ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO RISK THEIR LIVES AT A CRIME SCENE, THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY ECLIPSED, GIVING RISE TO RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF OFFICERS. TIME SPECIALIZATION IS NECESSARY SINCE THE POLICE OPERATE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. THUS, INFORMATION GAPS OCCUR WHEN INVESTIGATORS HAVE NO ACCESS TO THE PATROL OFFICERS WHO INITIATED THE ACTION. CONVERSELY, INVESTIGATORS MAY TURN UP INFORMATION WHICH PATROL OFFICERS ON THEIR SHIFTS NEED TO PREVENT CRIME RECURRENCE ON THEIR BEATS. AS EACH SPECIALIZED SUBUNIT IS CREATED, ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS DEVELOP. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE CONCLUDING ARTICLE, SEE NCJ 68375.