INTRODUCTION:
Power is described to be the foundation of leadership. While in policing, power is
provided to give one the ability to influence a group of subordinate within an organization.
It’s the key to having the group of surbodinate successfully accomplish their tasks in an
efficient and effective manner. Because power is had to come by within an organization. it is
only given to the people that organization believe have leadership role, personality ,and are
capable of taking on responsibilities that they have proven to uphold when given an
assignment. Although one might believe that power and leadership go hand in hand, having
power is one thing, while having the leadership skills to provide influence to others is proven
to be something completely different. While it was previously described that power is the
foundation of leadership, it is such that leadership is the ‘’process of directing and
influencing individuals or group to achieve goals.’’(Gaines; Worrall.2011.p.152.) While we
are being told that a police officer is unlikely to be a leader if they present them with no
power, do administrators really improve themselves by having power to be able to be a leader
with a law enforcement organization if that really means nothing during this time.
Lately, police agencies and officers have been far too aggressive towards the
community. They have been accused of police brutality and racial discrimination. Going
through difficult times like the last 3-4 years, including Covid and the riots that were
happening in Los Angeles county, make the community think about what they did/do to
deserve such treatment if the police agencies were the ones that they supported to fall back on
when in danger. Rather, they are continuously abusing their organizational power, which is a
power given to an individual based on their hierarchical position within the organization.
‘’…the need for eliminating bad leadership qualities for improvement in public safety
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agencies to reduce threats to law and order.’’(McBride,2015.p.8.) The fact that as a
community, we have to look out for one another is the point that these people are attempting
to make and get across these law enforcement agencies to bring safety back into the
communities.
Citizens throughout the United States need to feel safe in the country that they live in
and not, for one second, doubt in their law enforcement officers capabilities to offer them any
type of help .On the contrary, officers should be capable of being trained sufficiently enough
to not bring in any type of hatred or personal experiences to let it affect their work space.
Instead of abusing their ‘’power’’ as a sworn police officer, agencies need to possibly look
into training 2within their hierarchy’s and put these types of officers within a probationary
period to prove themselves to be worthy of the positions and power that they are supposed to
have effective their time throughout the probation period. Unfortunately, sometimes
subordinates are so easily influenced by other supervisors that they believe that the way that
their supervisor taught them to do things is exactly how things are supposed to be done.
However, given the situations that the United State is facing right know with racial profiling
and police brutality, agencies should be capable of making rapid decisions like this to protect
their communities, but most importantly their image as a rapid decision like this to protect
their communities, but most importantly, their image as an organization.
The purpose of this is to effectively relay the message that police agencies
sometimes are not using their leadership skills effectively and they are using their power in
such a way that communities are not responding to their authorities like they would before.
On the other hand, the people would much rather seek their own help and do their own
research before they call their nearest police departments. So the purpose lies on how this
paper will demonstrate, with supportive research, how police administrators and agencies can
use their leadership roles in an effective way the surrounding communities will not believe
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that police officers are overstepping their boundaries and simply over using their power in
such a way that they are affecting community instead of helping it changer and realize what
the efficiency of the problem really is when the question becomes’’ is there really a
difference between leadership and power?’’
The abuse of authority inside police organizations has had grave repercussions,
including destroying public confidence and creating an atmosphere characterized by fear and
hatred. Outrage and confusion have been aroused in communities due to incidents of police
violence and racial profiling, which have caused people to doubt the authority they used to
rely on for security. It is essential to address the problem of poor leadership characteristics
that are prominent within certain law enforcement agencies (McBride, 2015). Doing so will
help enhance public safety agencies and restore confidence in these organizations. The
misuse of organizational authority, which may be acquired through hierarchical positions, is a
source of worry and calls for a prompt response from management.
Training and professional development should be given high priority within the ranks
of law enforcement agencies to ensure that officers are fully equipped to deal with the myriad
of issues they confront daily. Officers may be helped to avoid bringing personal prejudices
and unpleasant experiences into their workplaces by receiving the appropriate training. It may
also be useful to institute a training term known as a probationary period for newly appointed
officials. During this period, they would have the chance to exhibit their competencies and
ethical leadership in real-world situations, which would serve as an opportunity for them.
Agencies will be able to guarantee that persons who occupy positions of power are
worthy of their responsibilities and can responsibly utilize that authority if they take these
steps. In the aftermath of public concerns over racial profiling and police brutality, law
enforcement organizations need to move quickly to make choices to protect their
communities and defend the image of their organization. Restoring confidence in the police
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force and rebuilding trust in them will need prompt action to remove officers who engage in
unethical conduct and misuse their position. Such preventative actions will show the
community that the organization protects ethical standards and values to keep law and order.
Administrators in the police department may close the power gap by adopting
leadership styles that are well-received in their areas. An inspiring and encouraging person to
work together toward a similar goal is essential to being a leader. Policing leaders should
emphasize community policing, establishing trust and cooperation with the people they serve.
By building relationships with residents, police are better equipped to address community
problems and create an atmosphere where people feel safe approaching the police for
assistance without fear of retaliation. Building trust from the public requires encouraging
openness and responsibility. Police departments must have both internal and external systems
for monitoring officer conduct. The investigation process may be made more open and fair to
all parties involved if external oversight boards or civilian review panels are used to evaluate
complaints against police. To further strengthen the trust between law enforcement and the
community, being open and honest with the public about the organization's policies,
methods, and aims is important.
In conclusion, in police, the connection between leadership and power is complicated,
as the conclusion will show. The acquisition of power does not make a person a good leader;
rather, it is the intelligent use of power with strong leadership abilities that makes for
constructive change within societies. The current problems that law enforcement
organizations have been up against need them to fundamentally transform their approach
towards leadership and interaction with the community. Police administrators can set the path
for a policing system that is more fair, inclusive, and trustworthy by emphasizing ethical
leadership, accountability, and openness. Law enforcement organizations can only properly
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serve and defend the communities they are pledged to protect if they find a way to recover
the confidence of the general people and strike a balance between leadership and authority.
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Reference:
McBride, J.t. (2015). Bad Leadership Equals Bad Results.Law &Order,63(2)8,