No Leadership in the NOPD - Research Paper Example

There is a significant section of the force that can be regarded as hardworking and committed to public safety, but a sizeable number of the force do not comprehend or choose to ignore the boundaries of constitutional policing. Policing is complex; nevertheless, experience and research within the policing field have demonstrated that bending the rules and disregarding the constitution renders effective policing much more complex. The systematic violations of civil rights erode public confidence and render policing to be difficult, less secure, and less effective emanating from a leadership crisis within NOPD.

The paper reviews the report by the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on NOPD’s officers’ misconduct and views from a normative (organizational) viewpoint rather than a series of individual acts. This necessitates an examination of the entire organization rather than a mere individual officer or incident. I. Introduction Police misconduct has for an extended period been a serious problem within America. Historically, reform efforts have largely failed due to an organizational culture that is resistant to change in which reforms address individual incidents while at the same time disregarding underpinning organizational problems.

Hence, the reforms, the NOPD desperately needs should not essentially be directed toward improving public perception, but rather enhancing organizational soundness. The reform efforts should be directed at improving police organizational culture touching on virtuous conduct, or encouraging police officers to act in a way that is consistent with the constitution and public trust. The idea that poor-quality leadership possesses negative effects on individuals is not new; research has demonstrated that poor leadership links to ineffective policing.

Poor leadership is also linked to heightened incidences of stress among the officers and a heightened risk of retaliation. Poor leadership by the supervisors makes some officers feel a sense of helplessness and alienation from work. Policing within the 21st-century demands alignment of professional standards, in which officers play a leading role in leadership development, with the public’s vision for policing (Baker, 2011).