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performance, and proactive problem solving, Therefore, the goal of increasing performance
and these should be used to identify solutions to and creating a professional culture with high
problems affecting the individual, team, and morale is a worthy challenge for any police
agency’s organizational effectiveness (Phibbs, agency (Phibbs, 2011). Officer motivation is the
2011). An administration’s ability to effectively level of intensity, commitment, and innovative
communicate affirms an officer’s commitment level that an agency’s personnel will apply to
to the agency and supports the link between their careers. In addition, discovering new and
efficient operation and an officer’s initiative in unique ways to motivate officers has become an
performance. A two-way flow of urgent challenge for many leaders.
communication is 8 crucial in preserving an Several emerging theories and methods for
agency’s health and moving everyone toward officer motivation range from monetary
shared goals. In addition, police senior incentives to increasing an officer’s involvement
administration can assist by providing clear and and ownership in the agency’s success. The
transparent communications. The purpose of most successful officer motivation efforts should
this is to ensure that the department’s concentrate on the officer beliefs regarding
expectations and directions are filtered to the what is valuable to them. A large amount of
front line officers. organizations have found success by allowing
Furthermore, communication from the flexibility in job design and reward systems
bottom of the agency provides critical resulting in lower attrition rates, improved
information regarding issues and assist in morale, and increased performance.
projecting and formulating solutions for the Selecting the best leadership style for an
evolving environment of the community. A agency is its own challenge. After accepting a
breakdown of communication in either leadership position, an individual accepts
direction will result in officers and teams losing partial responsibility in guiding the agency with
focus on short- and long-term individual and their best ability. By nature, that responsibility is
departmental goals. Moreover, personnel within a top-down style of leadership, which includes
a police organization will develop frustration identifying goals and maintaining officer focus
with policy makers and administrators. on the department goals. Therefore, a leader
Every police agency strives to obtain high should not direct or dictate every detail to the
performing officers who consistently engage in officer assigned the accomplishment of the
the department’s success, thus creating a goal.
highly-motivated culture. As the agency Micromanaging is very harmful to a team’s
institutes new innovative ideology at the highest success. Often the greatest position for the
ranks, the departmental culture will begin to leader will prevent them from seeing all aspect
change at the officer level (Phibbs, 2011). In through on the ground level. Therefore, police
addition, instant results are not realistic and leaders should provide the best parameters for
systematic changes will result in improved their agency such as purpose, goals, and the
effectiveness and changes in organization’s preferred culture. Moreover, police leaders
culture. The change needs to start with senior should allow their officers to work within those
leaders introducing action-oriented goals and parameters to make decisions and accomplish
identifying milestones along with metrics to the mission (Lukens, 2016).
measure both short- and long-term successes. If an administration could look at the
A front-line officer’s perception of the advantages as well as the disadvantages of
department will transform into reality over time. supervision from the bottom up, they would see
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