Using the knowledge of Hillsborough disaster, how far the resignation of Norman Bettison was appropriate - Essay Example

Topic Introduction Twenty-three years ago, 96 people were killed and 766 others were injured when an estimated 60,000 people flocked at the FA Cup semi-final competition between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest football teams at the Hillsborough Stadium of England (The Independent, 2012, p. 1). The overcrowding at the venue prompted the chief police superintendent Duckenfield to decide in opening the exit gate which was incidentally left unguarded by authorities during that occasion. With numerous peoples reportedly climbing on fences, the crush barrier collapsed. Following the investigations, Duckenfield told higher authorities that the sudden destruction was caused by people who rushed at the congested area (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1) The Taylor report however pointed failure of police control as the main cause of such tragedy (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1) Background of the case The independent investigation was reopened last September 2012 which exonerated the liabilities of Liverpool fans and revealed the omissions made by authorities to cover up the incident, including the concealment and alteration of statements from 164 respondents (Hall, 2012, p. 1). Findings further concluded that of those 96 fatalities, 41 could have been saved if immediately brought to hospital for medication. The report further bared that the situation could have been forecasted from the vantage of the security monitoring control box where records of mounted CCTVs are managed (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). Dismayed by the findings, West Yorkshire chief constable Norman Bettison tendered his resignation on October 24, 2012 but denied blaming the football fans for the tragedy (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). In a public statement, he professed deep compassion and sympathy to the bereaved families and he belied reports about the alleged concoction of story for the South Yorkshire Police. His resignation was prompted upon the manifestation of police authorities and due to political pressures of candidates who wanted him to leave his office because the issue caused too much distraction to West Yorkshire police administration (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). Police authority vice-chair Les Carter likewise publicly announced that Bettison’s resignation was appropriate for the institution that is currently saving its image and its performance management from the controversies (The Independent, 2012, p. 1; Hall, 2012, p. 1). Total Security Management Police enforcers that are tasked to enforce security management should have been acculturated of its role as authorities that can readily assess the indicators of vulnerabilities, risks, and possible disasters with the massive influx of people in an area (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). The police should also have cared undertaking strategic plan about how to manage the people and ensure their security and safety (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). They could have also made some measures to control the crowd and have readied all medical supports at bay for any possible dangers that may befall (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). With supposed strategic plan at hand, those deployed at the site could have prevented the occurrence of the incident or could have, at the minimum, efficiently mitigated the disaster risks (Whetten & Cameron, 1991, p. 1-87). Their roles should have been clarified and they should have geographically analysed the capacity of the venue. But apparently, the lack of unified, strategic, and (post-accident) pro-active response to the situation proved that they lacked the capacity to employ total security management in the area. True, the situation might have been overwhelming but as the case is brought into administrative investigation, the team should have faced it with professionally and honestly-- without concealing and omitting necessary information that could shed light to such tragedy (Mindtools, 2012, p. 1). They should have accepted the obvious weakness in management which include among others such systematic avoidance of accountability, negligence of duty, and that alleged omission of facts to cleanse themselves from anent accountabilities. With the presence of technology e.g. CCTV for monitoring, the police forces should have already noted the need to impose control about peoples’ overcrowding at the site to avoid disasters or possible stampede. Further, as they are trained for disaster management, they were expected to have led in saving those who are already at the wreckage instead of displaying indifference and disorientation at the sight of disaster. Power & police enforcement The police forces strength relies on command responsibility. The failure of leadership to provide sufficient direction and goals for subordinates, as well as, exact commitment from its team could really result to disorientation and such inability to act responsibly to an overwhelming situation. The consequences will relate so much to whom such bestowed power is due for—the people (Mindtools, 2012, p. 1). Results of the investigation affirmed that police officials lacked the skills and capacity to enforce clear performance management. The deployed team are bereft of technical and collective ability to save victims from death or to exercise genuine security management at the stadium (Mindtools, 2012, p. 1). Such poor performance undeniably weakened the public trust—the same public whom they first betrayed by allegedly tampering the evidences to save their selves from being sacked. They have clearly abused the power vested on them as law enforcers by colluding and by manipulating the turn-out of the first investigations for two decades, hoping that they’d be fully absolved from liabilities and shame (Whetten & Cameron, 1991). This is gross misbehaviour. If they have done the right thing, they could have enjoyed better relations with the public and with authorities, who might be able to defend them during the investigation (Whetten & Cameron, 1991). But proofs revealed otherwise. Ethical Standards The police force is the security arm of the state. They are supposed to be goal-driven and are imbued with the power to accomplish its mission for public good and welfare (Kanter, 1983, pp. 1-60; Kanter 1989, pp. 19-28). They have its standard ethical requirements in the dispensation of their duties and function. Such exclude tampering of evidences, dishonesty and choosing self-interest above public good (Lavay & French, 1999, pp. 19-28). They are supposed to be in the forefront of enforcing total security management for the people. Their technical expertise in crowd control and disaster prevention is supposed to be a skill that they should have championed. But their failure to demonstrate this capacity does not only affect the police force as an institution but also the government, its economy, and its tourism industry. The disaster also brings the state to a magnitude of public accountability for indemnifying the bereaved family and medicating the survivors (Lavay & French, 1999, pp. 19-28). At this juncture, the political pressure for the police chief’s resignation is but proper to heed for. The post requires an expert, transparent, strategist, and leadership that will not be cowed to accountabilities and who could perform the necessary duties and functions for security and disaster management (Mindtools, 2012). Above all, the post is require a leader whom the constituents could restore back there trust. References Flood, P C., Dromgoole, T., Carroll, S., & Gorman, L. (2000 ). Managing Strategy Implementation, Blackwell Publishers Ltd., Oxford, UK, pp. 1-251. Hall, J. (2012). West Yorkshire chief constable Sir Norman Bettison resigns following criticism of his conduct after the Hillsborough disaster. The Independent, London, UK. 24 Oct. 2012, p. 1.< http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/west-yorkshire-chief-constable-sir-norman-bettison-resigns-following-criticism-of-his-conduct-after-the-hillsborough-disaster-8224659.html > Accessed: 20 Nov. 2012. Kanter, R. M. (1983). The Change Masters: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the American Corporation, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. 1983, pp. 1-60. Kanter, R. M. When Giants Learn to Dance, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. 1989, pp. 19-28. Knowles, D. (Ed). (2003 ). Mixed Blessings: New Zealand Children of Holocaust Survivors Remember, Becklyn Publishing Group, pp. 1-160 Lavay, B., & French, R. (1999). The special physical educator: Meeting educational goals through a transdisciplinary approach . Reprinted in P. Jansma, (Ed).Psycnomotor domain training and serious disabilities (4m Ed). University, Press of America, New York, NY. pp. 19-28 Mindtools (2012). French and Raven's Five Forms of Power. Understanding Where Power Comes From in the Workplace, Mind Tools Ltd, , London, UK, p 1. The Independent (2012). Sir Norman Bettison’s resignation statement in full, London, UK. 24 Oct. 2012, p. 1. < http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sir-norman-bettisons-resignation-statement-in-full-8224732.html > Accessed: 20 Nov. 2012 Whetten, D. & Cameron, K. (1991). Developing Management Skills, Harper Collins, New York, NY, 1-87. Read More