August 1991 WHAT THEY DIDN'T TEACH IN MANAGEMENT SCHOOL By James D. Sewell, Ph.D. Director Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Tallahassee, Florida Contemporary criminal justice management courses emphasize a number of relevant topics, such as resource management, labor relations, program evaluation, external influences on public administration and organizational change. However, in the classroom, the approach most commonly taken is on the macro level and only deals with theory and academic research. And, while classroom experience is extremely useful, applying the information learned in the classroom to the job often leaves much to be desired. Oftentimes, a newly appointed chief of police must quickly, and sometimes painfully, discover that there are many things they did not teach in management school. As a result, the administration of a police department, large or small, becomes a continuing education for a police chief. The lessons a recently appointed police chief learns are many and cannot be discussed in a single article. However, some of the most important lessons, specific to managing a small department, can be summarized into a few basic tenents: * Command hurts; * Change is difficult to implement and often not desired; * Politics are everywhere; * The police chief is a public figure; * It is easy and probably a good idea to develop a "my town" attitude; * In a small department, the workload can be especially heavy; * The job can still be fun. COMMAND HURTS In the paramilitary world of law enforcement, there can ultimately be only one boss. And, in small police departments, where more intimate personal relationships exist between the police chief and employees, it is usually decisions regarding personnel that are the most difficult and emotionally distressing. Years of law enforcement training prepare administrators for tactical and strategic problems and operational decisions. As a result, many police chiefs find that making life-or-death decisions is easier than initiating procedures that could cost officers their rank, salary, or job. In addition to this "people pain" that a police chief can experience, command can also hurt when a police chief's motives or values are misinterpreted. Some employees may assume that hidden agendas exist, and regardless of a chief's moral convictions, someone may assume that a chief has, at some point, compromised integrity in order to become chief. And, especially as a result of personnel-related decisions, the chief's actions may be viewed as wrong. Some employees may believe that the discipline was either too strong or too weak, that the punishment did not fit the "crime," or that all wrongdoers were not punished equally. CHANGE IS DIFFICULT Most enlightened administrators believe that one of their primary roles, especially when first taking over organizations, is to act as agents of change. It must, however, be noted that change within an organization is always difficult, and in most circumstances, there will be employees who do not, or will not, adapt well. Change requires adjustment, and adjustment is stressful. As a result, individuals react in order to reduce stress. Therefore, for a police chief in this position, it may be wise to first keep in mind that: * Adult behavior is difficult to change. * Goals detailing change should not be set too high and should be based on employee abilities and not on an administrator's personal desires and/or motives. * Until a police chief can assess employees, it is better to "walk softly and carry a big stick." It is far easier to soften one's management style than to tighten it at a later date. This is particularly true for law enforcement departments where sensitivity, interest, and professionalism on the part of the chief could be mistaken for personal weakness. * It is only natural that a police chief sometimes believes that management could be wonderful if it weren't for the employees. In addition, the difficult nature of organizational change is not limited to employee-related problems. Outside governing agencies often have an entirely different vision of if and when change is necessary. They may also lack a complete understanding of the professional needs, roles, and direction of a contemporary law enforcement agency. Consequently, it is not uncommon for a chief's desires to conflict directly with these outside agencies. For the police chief, this resulting frustration is particularly intense when the conflict centers around improved professionalization and the education of departmental personnel. Darrell Stephens, Executive Director of the Police Executive Research Forum and a former police chief, captured the essence of this issue when he said: "Under the best circumstances, it is a struggle for any police chief to successfully develop and sustain the kind of support needed from the community, city manager, city council, and the officers themselves. Even Herculean efforts are doomed to fail when there is a mandate for change, but no agreement among these groups about what should be done or the best way to go about it." (1) A corollary to the issue of fear of change in a department is that not all employees want enlightened, progressive managers. Many may prefer the status quo, and still others may want to return to the managerial style of an earlier era. In either case, such employees may act as stumbling blocks to change and may resist the personal interest and involvement required of modern law enforcement managers. On the bright side, meaningful change can often occur more quickly in a small department. With strong leadership from the police chief, and because small departments lack an extended bureaucracy, efforts at change are distorted less. As a result, change can be achieved on a more timely basis. POLITICS ARE EVERYWHERE Many law enforcement leaders pride themselves on their professionalism and on the fact that politics do not interfere with their management style or their decisions. However, in reality, all decisions are political in nature. In addition, in order for police chiefs to keep their jobs, they must respect, understand, and successfully deal with the political nature of law enforcement. In small departments, politics may often play an even stronger role. Often, residents of small cities have a more direct interest and involvement in police matters and may be more quick to provide direct feedback concerning the department to its governing council or commission. Where council members and special interest groups encourage attendance at public meetings, this feedback may become even stronger. And, in closeknit communities, direct involvement in law enforcement policy and direction may be one of the few ways council members could possibly secure their reelection. THE POLICE CHIEF IS A PUBLIC FIGURE In many communities, citizens are looking for public officials who care about local problems, who will take time to listen, and who fit their image of a public leader. Particularly in small cities and counties, the police chief is, indeed, a public figure. Whether an elected sheriff or an appointed chief of police, the chief law enforcement executive occupies a position of power, influence, and respect. However, with this heightened position comes added responsibility. Indeed, a police chief is often held to a higher degree of accountability than many other public officials, and certainly to a higher standard of integrity. DEVELOPING A "MY TOWN" ATTITUDE In small communities, most police chiefs are well-known, and hopefully, well-received by the business community and citizens. As a result, many police chiefs develop a sense of personal pride in their communities, which is often lacking in large police departments. This personal pride is often accompanied by a sense of personal ownership. With such a positive attitude and outlook on the community, policing the local citizens becomes a personal obligation. SMALL DEPARTMENT/HEAVY WORKLOAD Because small law enforcement departments may lack the budget, personnel resources, and equipment of their counterparts in large communities, it may be far more difficult to serve as a chief of police of a small agency. Large agencies allow for more management and supervisory strata, for more staff support in areas such as planning and budgeting, and for alternative development tracks for the administrative staff. In small agencies, police chiefs are expected to fill a variety of roles. Routinely, and with limited staff, chiefs may serve as planners, budget officers, personnel administrators, equipment acquisition officers, and principal policy writer/developers. These demands require a broad base of managerial skills and a seemingly endless supply of time, effort, and energy. THE JOB CAN STILL BE FUN It is not uncommon to hear law enforcement executives reminisce about their experiences when they served as patrol officers or detective supervisors early in their careers. This is especially true in large departments, because as officers progress through the ranks, they become further removed from the excitement and rewards of hands-on law enforcement and more preoccupied with administrative matters. In small departments, however, managers, including police chiefs, often find themselves performing patrol and investigative functions. It is not uncommon, for example, for the chief to do double-duty during times of patrol personnel shortages or to serve as the case coordinator in major criminal cases. In such departments, chiefs can still enjoy the daily activities of a patrol officer without, as one municipal chief noted, "the pain of having to do the reports." In addition, the opportunity to perform patrol or investigative functions occasionally, even for short periods, can also serve to relieve stress and add a sense of stability. CONCLUSION Although criminal justice management courses and administration textbooks discuss the science of management, becoming a successful law enforcement executive is a process that involves an on-going education. And, despite difficult personnel-related decisions, the problems of initiating change, and a heavy workload, being the chief of police in a small community has numerous rewards. Most importantly, it is a valued position of public trust that continually provides police chiefs of small communities with flexibility and new experiences. FOOTNOTE (1) "Subject to Debate," Police Executive Research Forum newsletter, vol. 4, No. 5, 1990, p. 3.