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current culture, simple standardized backgrounds to qualify their opinions. With the
procedures can be utilized to evaluate and model of leading from the bottom up and with
analyze the values and norms of an agency. police officers evolving, effective
High officer performance will also result in communication and problem-solving can
lower crime levels and increase citizens’ trust replace a policy-driven statistical approach to
in the police which, in turn, will improve the the way policing is being performed.
citizen’s quality of life (Phibbs, 2011). An
agency with high performance levels will be COUNTER POSITION
able to reduce administrative and operational One downfall of bottom-up management is
costs; thus, improving its’ short and long term that it is time consuming. With so many
budget goals. individual officers involved in the decision
Patrol officers are in the largest division in making process, it can potentially bottleneck
police departments and have the most ideas, leading to missed opportunities or
experiences with the public. Front line officers unrealistic ideas being suggested. With too
are the ones who face the most challenges due much information, administration would
to interactions with the public, outside potentially have a tougher time reaching an
agencies, and with members of the criminal effective solution for goal success. This may
element. As a result of this, front line officers result in an incapability to select a single plan
acquire leadership skills that encompass of action and implement it or continuously
persuasion, communication, and management needing alteration of procedures.
techniques. These leadership skills improve the Additionally, too many ideas will diminish
ability of these law enforcement officers to the ability for administration to find effective
perform their difficult assignments. plans for obtaining the department goals
In addition, there have been several high (Harper, 2015). This type of management
profile and publicized events that have requires the employee to conduct research as
impacted police departments, and front line to the suggestion that they might bring to the
officers are the one that face them head on. management’s attention. Employees can often
These officers have a lot of experience that can find themselves competing for the best ideas to
benefit police administration decision making. take to management which would continue to
Consistently, all police departments promote slow down the process of productivity.
from within and usually from the lowest rank. It While this may be a downfall, a poll of 675
is from the lower ranks that police workers from the U.S and Canada revealed
administration promote first line supervisor and 64% believes leaders making decisions
to the highest rank a police department has. without seeking input was the largest problem
By collaborating with lower-level officers, (Smith, 2012). Smith (2012) stated, “When
police leaders can see their perspective, while decisions are made without getting input from
lower-level officers can understand the people, they tend to hold back their ideas and
challenges faced by the administration (Tona, take less initiative to make improvement” (p.
n.d.). These front line officers have consistently 4). The poll also found that 38% of respondents
shown that they have the knowledge, believe “leaders dismissing ideas without
education, and, experience to offer different exploring these ideas” is the next largest reason
viewpoints on the issues affecting their initiative declines in the workforce (Smith,
communities and profession. In addition, the 2012, p. 5).
officers also have educational and training Law enforcement agencies may focus on a
12 www.texaspoliceassociation.com • (512) 458-3140 Texas Police Journal
