Original scientific paper
Police Management – Police Executives' Perception of the Status (Qualitative Level) of Fundamental Functions and Sub-functions of Management in the Police Service
Ante Orlović
; Police College, Police Academy, MoI, Croatia
Abstract
The efficiency of the police organisation and level of security the police provides to citizens substantially depends on police management and its characteristics. Fundamental functions of management are stated as follows: planning, organising, leading, human resource management and controlling. Each of these functions is equally important, specific and significant. Their interaction and totality make management process or system. Functions of management consist of a series of sub-functions. This paper deals with and explains three sub-functions within each of the five indicated functions of management.
Determining the perception of qualitative level of the fundamental functions and sub-functions of management from operative police executives' viewpoint is of great heuristic, but also practical relevance
for the police organisation. With regard to the above-mentioned, empirical research was carried out, using the method of survey, by means of a Questionnaire on Fundamental Functions of Management in the Police Service. The research included 106 respondents – heads of police stations operating within police administrations with headquarters in the regional centres of the Republic of Croatia (Split, Rijeka and Osijek) and their surrounding police administrations. Respondents evaluated the status (qualitative level) of fundamental functions of management and their sub-functions in the police service by assigning appropriate grades. The evaluation instrument was a rating scale with a five-level range – from bad to excellent. Research results indicated that police executives perceive a qualitative level of all five fundamental functions of management and their sub-functions as mediocre (average, poor) (overall average grade M = 2.61, min. = 1, max. = 5). Human resource management was rated as the worst function (M = 2.26), while leading was rated as the least bad function (M = 2.86). Research results were compared to the corresponding results of previously conducted (identical) research, with police officers being respondents. Comparison of the data showed that police officers' attitudes towards the studied issues were even more critical (more negative) than police executives' attitudes. Purpose and aim of this research (as it was the case with the earlier research) was to obtain a preliminary diagnosis of the perceived) status of the police management, as well as to determine the relevance and necessity of fundamental functions and sub-functions of management and their affirmation in the police system.
Keywords
police management; fundamental functions and sub-functions of management in the police; qualitative level of management; police executives' perception
Hrčak ID:
237952
URI
Publication date:
12.5.2020.
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