Chapter 3: Organizing the Police Department

26 cards·by ariel99

Organization

A deliberate arrangement of people doing specific jobs, following particular procedures to accomplish a set of goals determined by some auth

Management

The process of running an organization so that the organization can accomplish its goals

PODSCORB

Acronym for the basic functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, staffing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting

Leadership

The ability of an individual to act as a leader, or someone that influences and develops an individual/a group to accomplish a common goal

Quasi-military organizations

An organizations similar to the military along structures of strict authority and reporting relations

Chain of command

Managerial concept stating that each individual in an organization is supervised by and reports to only one immediate supervisor

Span of control

The number of officers or subordinates a superior can supervise effectively

Unity of command

A managerial concept that specifies that each individual in an organization is directly accountable to only one supervisor

Shared leadership

Power-sharing agreement in which work-place influence is shared among individuals who are otherwise hierarchial unequals

Sworn members

Police employees given traditional police powers by state and local laws, including penal or criminal laws and criminal procedure laws

Nonsworn (civilian) members

Police employees without traditional police powers generally assigned to noncritical or nonenforcement tasks

Squad

A group of officers who generally work together all the time together all the time under the supervision of a particular sergeant

Platoon

All of the people working on a particular tour or shift

Community service officers (CSOs)

Entry-level police employees without general law enforcement powers, as suggested by the President's Commission on Law Enf. and Adm. of Just

Reserve officer

Either part-time compensated or noncompensated sworn police employees who serve when needed

Lateral transfers

The ability and opportunity to transfer from one police department to another

Beat

The smallest geographical area an individual officer can patrol

Precinct/District/Station

The entire collection of beats in a given geographic area; the organizational headquarters of a police department

Blue flu

Informal job actions by officers in which they call in sick/refuse to perform certain job functions in an attempt to win labor concessions

Bureaucracy

An organizational model marked by hierarchy, promotion on professional merit/skill of relations. among career pro. in the bureaucra. w/ clie

Civil service system

A method of hiring/managing government employees that is designed to eliminate political infl., favoritism, nepotism, bias

Pendleton Act

A federal law passed in 1883 to establish a civil service system that tested, appointed, and promoted officers on a merit system

Sergeant

1st supervisor in police chain of command, supervisor of squad

Lieutenant

Just above sergeant in the chain, in charge of an entire platoon

Captain

Above the lieutenant in the chain, responsible for all personnel/all activities in an area or unit on a 24 hour basis

Police Officer

Lowest on chain, serve as workers in the organization