The ‘Police Change Manager’: Exploring a new leadership paradigm for policing
| Published date | 01 September 2019 |
| Date | 01 September 2019 |
| Author | Richard Smith |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355719854104 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
The ‘Police Change Manager’: Exploring
2019, Vol. 21(3) 156–167
ª The Author(s) 2019
a new leadership paradigm for policing
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355719854104
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Richard Smith
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, USA
Abstract
The pace, complexity and extent of change in policing are unyielding. Therefore, police leaders must be capable and
effective leaders of change. This article provides an exploratory analysis of the experience of police leaders who are
responsible for delivering transformational and enduring change, through data collected during a recent study in an urban
English police force. The findings show that although positive steps are being taken to improve the way in which change
activity is managed and implemented, there is still some way to go. A disconnect was identified between those who are
leading change within the headquarters function and their capability to do so. The need to ‘lead for today’ while also
‘leading for tomorrow’ is identified as a key tension at executive level. The article tests the hypotheses that leading change
is a specialism of police leadership that should be recognised as such. Implementing the role of the ‘Police Change
Manager’ is proposed as the approach by which a more capable and successful change function might be established.
The article concludes with recommendations for maturing the approach to change in policing and proposes opportunities
for further research.
Keywords
Police reform, change management, police leadership, criminal justice reform, organisational design, organisational culture
Submitted 05 Dec 2018, Revision received 25 Apr 2019, accepted 03 May 2019
Research context
markedly different to that of 2010. Even with a very cau-
tious easing of public sector pay restraint, occasional pos-
In October 2010, the UK government undertook a root and
itive rhetoric emerging from the UK Treasury and some
branch review of public sector spending. In response to the
shoots of optimism in relation to infrastructure investment
enduring financial turmoil of the previous 2 years (Elliott,
projects, the overall direction of travel remains one of fur-
2010), this ‘Comprehensive Spending Review’ led to an
ther restraint for many years to come (HM Treasury, 2017;
unprecedented re-evaluation of spending across the public
Kentish, 2018).
sector. With the exception of the National Health Service
Whether in community mental health provision, adult
and overseas aid budget, reductions in the region of 20%
education, policing or youth outreach work, the delivery
over the 5-year term 2010 to 2015 were the norm across all
of these core public sector services has had to be remo-
key government departments (HM Treasury, 2010). Oppo-
delled and reconstructed in such a way as to meet statutory
nents of this approach maintained a consistent and vehe-
responsibilities while reducing activity in areas that were
ment position that the much sounder economic strategy for
affordable in times of plenty but that, in the current context,
stimulating growth and reducing the national debt was to
are simply unaffordable. This wholesale redesign across
spend and invest, rather than adopting the cautionary
approach of cutting public spending so drastically (Hen-
nessy and Kleinman, 2008). This reduction in public spend-
Corresponding author:
ing, which persisted through the general election of 2015
Richard Smith, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524 W 59th Street,
and the distractions of the Brexit referendum of 2016, mean
New York, NY 10019 USA.
that the delivery of core public services now looks
Email: richardsmith100@hotmail.com
Smith
157
much of the public sector has presented significant oppor-
leading diverse teams to achieve complex outcomes within
tunities, as well as noticeable threats. With payroll costs
the constraints of time, cost and quality standards. It is
being a heavy burden on public sector organisations, the
argued that a ‘Police Change Manager’, in delivering trans-
primary response to budgetary restraint has been to reduce
formational change, will be working to the same exacting
headcount and prioritise what the remaining personnel are
strategic standards – albeit situated in an alternate context
doing (Travis, 2017b). In the main, this means focusing on
and therefore requiring skills and experience that are sim-
statutory requirements and those areas that pose the most
ilar to, but distinctly different from, those who are leading
risk – to the public and to the reputations of those agencies
front-line policing activity.
concerned (BBC, 2015; Dearden, 2017).
The research that follows identifies that a common
The work to remodel public service delivery has placed
approach is to appoint operational police commanders into
a significant responsibility upon senior leaders within all of
change management positions, with some support from
the organisations involved. Beyond the enduring responsi-
external experts. However, it is argued that recognising and
bility of day-to-day operational delivery, these individuals
professionalising the role of the ‘Police Change Manager’
have also been charged with a renewed responsibility of
is the proper way to achieve excellence in police transfor-
leading change on a scale that, hitherto, has not been
mation. Through a blended experiential skill set involving
encountered. The enduring timescale over which this
the application of change theory, coupled with extensive
change is being delivered has meant that, for almost a
experience of police leadership, successful change out-
decade, change is consistently on the agenda. It could be
comes are more likely to emerge.
suggested that there is nothing new in this and that all
This article is presented in two parts. First, a broad
public sector bodies have always been working to evolve
review of the policing context is provided, to aid under-
and improve. However, this article argues that this was
standing of the current drivers for delivering change. Sec-
ordinarily manifested as short- to medium-term activity,
ond, the article presents the findings of recent research
in response to the demands of the day, seeking a manage-
conducted in a large urban English police force. Through
able level of continuous improvement. Even in the context
semi-structured interviews with police managers/leaders
of seismic influencers within policing such as the Stephen
engaged in change, the current approach to transforming
Lawrence Inquiry (Macpherson, 1999) or the Sheehy
policing is explored, with a focus on lessons learnt for
Inquiry (Kirby, 1993), it is argued that the transformational
making improvements to change delivery in law enforce-
nature of these watershed moments was not comparable
ment organisations.
with the scale, cost or complexity of changes to policing
It should be noted that scholarly discourse is frequently
since the comprehensive spending review of 2010. The
drawn to differentiation between those who hold ‘manage-
change activity witnessed in recent years is of a different
ment’ roles in organisations and those who are viewed as
order and has, for that reason, placed demands upon public
being ‘leaders’ (Adair, 2004; Bennis, 2003). Although pop-
sector leaders that are without precedent.
ular literature draws a relatively clear distinction between
the leader who will articulate the guiding vision and the
manager who will transact the outcomes required, this bin-
Introduction
ary view is not necessarily so clear within the context of
This article provides an exploratory analysis of the experi-
change. In this setting, the attributes required of leaders and
ence of police leaders who are responsible for delivering
managers are, in some cases, more closely aligned than
transformational and enduring change. Within the context
might otherwise be expected (Caldwell, 2003). Indeed,
described above, it is argued that today’s police leader must
within the context of policing, the rank of inspector is
be as competent in leading change as they are in leading
considered to be a middle-management tier, at most. How-
crime investigations or the response to public disorder. A
ever narrative emerging from the service, particularly in the
hypothesis is presented that argues that change manage-
context of recruitment, identifies proven leadership (not
ment is a new command specialism in policing. In the same
management) skills as being key to reaching that rank (Col-
way that a Public Order Commander or a Senior Investigat-
lege of Policing, 2017). To navigate these idiosyncrasies of
ing Officer require skills and experience to manage risk,
language, this article identifies that the participant popula-
solve problems and engender support among subordinate
tion of sergeants, inspectors and superintendents should all
officers, this article contends that the ‘Police Change Man-
be considered ‘leaders’, who hold both leadership and
ager’ occupies a role that requires a specific set of skills and
management-related responsibilities to design and deliver
experiences that carry a similar responsibility.
change. It is the executive level of the organisation (which
Successful outcomes for those commanding front-line
also took part in the study) that holds the strategic visioning
policing activity will include managing the expectations
responsibility to shape organisational direction. Ergo for
of...
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