Getting Things Right for Policing: Cultural Shift or Elitist Sop?
| Author | Michael McManus |
| Published date | 01 April 1997 |
| Date | 01 April 1997 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X9707000203 |
DETECTIVE INSPECTOR MICHAEL McMANUS, Ph.D, SA
Durham Constabulary; Hon. Research Fellow, Dept Sociology
and
Social Policy, Durham University
GETTING THINGS RIGHT FOR
POLICING: CULTURAL SHIFT OR
ELITIST SOP?
Introduction
The general principle of equality has becomea high priority for the British
Police Serviceand this is clearlyreflected in thesemantics currentlyused
by police personnel. It is no longer politicallycorrect to use the collective
term "policemen", for this precludes the existence of "policewomen".
Equitably, the term "police officer" must now be used by members of the
organization. Attempts are also beingmade bythe police to redressthe
inequalities of rank. It is now usual to hearstatements regarding the
importance of front-lineofficers - constables and sergeants. It issaid they
should be recognizedas no less important to the policefunction thanthe
chief constable himself! Such commentary concerning cultural shifts of
principle infer that,to the extent that the sense ofsignificant membership
of the police dependson one's place onthe prestigeladderof the
organization, the culture of elitismfunctionsto distribute unequally the
sense of significant membership in the organization.
It is, of course, good newsif the police servicehas finally realized that
enabling self-criticism in all its formsis notsomesortof dangerbuta
positive way of ensuring a more effective serviceto the community. But
police personnelneed to be comfortable in the organization's culture,
especially front line officers who have an extensive menuofresponsibilities
and a large degreeof discretion.Theysuffercompeting and conflicting
demands andare required torely on their individualskills, judgment and
initiative to make decisions, often spontaneously. Theysuffer emotional
demands and physical dangers andat the same time are required tomaintain
the highest standardsof honesty,integrityand fairness.
Traditional Military Culture
Many police officers are not comfortable with the police culture because
it is influencedby a militarytraditionwhich hasits historyin the British
Army. Both services,military and police, producean elite class of officer:
the commissioned officer in the army,the ranks of inspectorand above in
the police service. Police constable and police sergeant can clearly be
equated respectively with the ranks of private and sergeant in the army. But
the personal differentialsin prestigeand esteemwhich existbetween the
ranks in the policeservice haverecently been brought into question.
Influential sectors of the policeservice nowbelieve thatthe type of
organizational culture requiredfor police effectiveness does not presently
exist.
April 1997 The Police Journal 99
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