| Alternative Visions of Police Leadership and Organizations
Organized by in-coming PFI President Joe Schafer, this panel examined current problems in police leadership and organizational structure. Participants were all members of the Futures Working Group, PFI’s research partnership with the FBI. Alan Youngs provided an overview of police leadership theories and research, paying particular attention to the current “best practices” in thinking about the structure and operation of police organization. Dr. John Jarvis presented findings from an on-going study of major city police chiefs. Research findings suggested that top police leaders increasingly recognize the need to think more broadly about the roll and function of police agencies within their communities. Jeff Hynes described efforts to improve education and leadership training within the Phoenix Police Department. The Phoenix experience illustrates that agencies do have the capacity to improve their practices, though various constraints can restrict the speed and depth of change. Dr. Bernard “Bud” Levin offered a more critical interpretation of police organizations and leadership, challenging the audience and PFI’s members to continually seek out new ways to improve police practices. |
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