Page 15 - March April 2021 TPA Journal
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Police administration does not often listen to communicated in a clear and positive manner
lower level officers in reference to the direction to the officers. These are important questions
of the department. However, history has proven in understanding police officers and in finding
someone can be a leader even if they possess a model that fits the agency.
no rank (VanderVeen, 2014). Inside a police An effective model that police
organization, officers often feel left out of the administration should use is the MARS Model.
decision making process. When this occurs, it It consists of four factors: motivation, ability,
sends a message to the lower level officer that role perceptions, and, situational factors
their opinions are not valued. Therefore, when (McShane & Von Glinow, 2014). All these
it comes to the decisions that are made, officers factors have critical influences on an officer’s
feel that will have to just live with it. behavior and performance; therefore, a single
All police departments should provide low factor will result in poor performance.
motivation to their officers in order to gain the Police administration usually determines
best productivity from them. When officers are officer productivity and motivation level by
afforded the opportunity to have a vested reviewing their self-initiated activity.
interest in the decision-making process, it With the use of this model, all levels of the
enhances their overall job performance. A agency are included as part of the process and
leading from the bottom-up ideology can assist success of department goals. This, in turn,
police departments in obtaining increases in improves morale and productivity. Individuals
officers’ morale, communication, and will be more receptive to additional work and
successful teamwork. Supervision from the contribute individually specific efforts to
bottom up is a key component to the success of ensure objectives and goals are successful.
a department these days. Law enforcement The model has been best described as a way
agencies should manage from the bottom up. to obtain the full potential from officers. A
frontline officer often has a unique insight on
POSITION solutions to department wide issues. This
The current police command staff hierarchy model allows an officer’s solutions to be
is ineffective in addressing police officers’ shared with fellow officers and command
concerns and causes reduction in morale. The staff. With this style of teamwork, a
success of a law enforcement organization is department would be able to create new and
driven by officers who are the most valuable more efficient processes.
assets of the department (Phibbs, 2011). The old saying “Happy spouse, happy
Therefore, police administration needs to house” has a corollary in all aspect of business
address the current model of supervision. They (Economy, 2014). When officers are
must be open-minded and conscious of the enthusiastic about coming to work on a daily
obstacles the officers face in today’s society. basis, there will be a positive work place and
With consideration to all factors, a enhancement in citizen interactions. An
department should use a hybrid of multiple officer having the opportunity to have a
models in order to produce greatest positive work environment is perhaps one of
opportunities. Once police administration has the most important aspects in law
established behavioral cohesion and enforcement. Officers need to know that their
transparency, the process can begin. Moreover, well-being is just as important as the
there will need to be several questions of who, communities they serve.
what, when and how, which must then be When evaluating a police department
March/April 2021 www.texaspoliceassociation.com • (512) 458-3140 11
