The Chicago Police Department Essay Example for Free

The Chicago practice of law department EssayThe organizational situation that will be the decoct of this paper is the recent appointment of a civilian super of legal philosophy at the Chicago Police Department. It has been over fifty years since a civilian was appointed as top cop in the City of Chicago. Unfortunately, three of the last four police superintendents have left their position under examen or an ensuing s rout outdal. In 2006, the mayor of the City of Chicago Richard M. Daley publicly announced that a comprehensive search for the next Chicago Police Superintendent will be conducted. After a septenary month search, the front runner was a 35 year vet epochn of the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Mayor Daleys decision to re-evaluate the participants and continue the nationwide search for the position of superintendent proved to be a major blow to police morale. Ultimately, the mayor appointed retired FBI Director Jody Weis as Superintendent of Police. The Superint endent is the commanding officer for the CPD. Under the direction of the Superintendent, the CPD is organized into the First Deputys Office and tail fin bureaus severally commanded by a Deputy Superintendent.The louvre bureaus ar Investigative Services, Patrol Division, Strategic Deployment, nuisance Strategy and Accountability and Administrative Services. Within each of these major operating units be patrol officers, fact-finding staff, support staff and administrative staff. There are approximately 120 subunits which work under these cardinal operating units. There are approximately 13,400 sworn force-out and 1,850 civilians employed by the CPD (Chicago Police. org n. d).The Chicago Police Departments patrol and investigative geographical area are broken down into five Investigative Areas (1-5) and each area is broken down into 25 local police regulates (1-25). Each district is broken down into beats numbering anywhere from 12-15 beats per district. The CPD is entering a new era of police administration and will undergo major restructuring as a result of police decomposition and misconduct, political pressures, and a loss of community self-assertion.According to Bolman and Deal (2003), restructuring is a challenging process that consumes prison term and resources with no guarantee of success (p. 83). Organizations usually embark on a path to change when they facial expression compelled to respond to major problems or opportunities (Bolman Deal, 2003). Unfortunately in the case of the CPD, major problems are the cause for change. reorganization is often the first step a new attractor makes to leave his stamp on the organization. The CPD is an doddery fashioned public bureaucracy that has remained stagnant in its operation for over fifty years of insider control. forwarding from within the ranks is expected. The appointment of an outsider is an effort by the mayor to shake things up with a snap of weeding out misconduct and corruption. Holl oway (2002), defined police corruption as the abuse of police berth for ain or organizational gain (p. 1). The CPD has had its fair share of corruption and official misconduct. Externally, acts of police misconduct can be reported by those affected to a civilian investigative organization or to an inseparable police unit known as Internal Affairs.Internally, acts of police misconduct and corruption may be dramatically under-reported if reported at all. According to Ivkovic (2003, when a police administrator engages in reform and invests resources for the purposes of corruption control without having all the necessary information regarding the extent and nature of the corruption, the administrator will most belike be fighting a losing battle (p. 594). This losing battle in fighting corruption is the main add that Jody Weis will encounter in his new position.Weis is seen as an outsider and even worse, an ex-federal employee. When a police officer is accused of committing acts of misconduct or corruption, the officer is likely to face federal charges and placed under take in by a Federal Agent. Weis is considered an enemy, and unless he is part of the inside police culture, he will neer have full access to internal police information on the existence of misconduct or corruption. The complex phenomenon of police corruption needs to be care fored from an ethical and moral standpoint.To truly address the problem, it is necessary to work not only with the officers and the community, but also with professional policing organizations (Johnson Cox, 2004 p. 67). The lack of community depone is a major factor in restructuring the CPD. Community policing was the first major step in forming a collaborative partnership with the community. It allowed the police and community to work side by side to help each other to save neighborhoods from crime and disorder. Ethics, morals, and professionalism are just a few ways in which the communities trust can be gained.Johnso n and Cox (2004), defined ethics as the moral behavior of an several(prenominal) or group in its surrounding (p. 69). Northouse (2007) further added that ethics concerns itself with the morals and values that the society or an individual finds appropriate (p. 342). A 1996 study by Delattre, (as cited in Johnson Cox, 2004) contends that those who maintain a position of public authority and trust should prescribe to a higher level of moral standards than civilians. The community deserves the right to feel base hit and protected.The community is a powerful force that can organize and demand change by displace pressure on the elected officials. Political pressure is the last of the four factors that affected the change involve in the CPD. The appointment of the Superintendent of Police was orchestrated by the mayor of the City of Chicago. The mayor say that the CPD was in desperate need of a change agent. The mayor was looking for someone that was going to prepare the communitie s trust in the CPD and institute organizational change. The politicos were not happy with an insider being promoted to Superintendent of Police.Political pressures compulsive that the search for a Superintendent of Police continue. Following the appointment of Jody Weis, major organizational and personnel changes were instituted. wizard of the most critical factors that affected the actual implementation of the change was the change of personnel. After approximately ii months of being on the job, Weis removed and appointed 21 of 25 new District Commanders and replaced numerous take over rank Deputies and Chiefs of units. Never in the history of the CPD had anyone made such drastic and unpopular changes.The changes in personnel were made by use of the Chicago Police Departments meritorious promotion clay. This system had for a long time been associated with political clout and nepotism rather than true merit. According to Boseman (2008), leaders are given the opportunity to lead not because they are merely appointed by managers, but because they are seen as leaders. On the contrary, Leonard (2003) contends that many employees select future leadership primarily for their technical skills rather than their interpersonal or people leadership skills.Faced with the current status of the CPD, change was inevitable. With change comes resistance to change. The leader must have a plan to institute change and remedies to quell the fears of change (Kouzes Posner, 2002). Conclusion A primary assumption throughout this analysis has been that the CPD is in need of major policy, procedures, programs, and organizational change. A fuddled argument in favor of this point is the low police morale and community distrust of the CPD.Adhering to the basic principles of the police code of ethics and moral values, police can create a service ground on consent and participation. Overall, the transformational leader must create a vision, get subordinates to buy in, and manifest truthfulness and integrity. The problems that affect the CPD are not situations that can be easily fixed. Over time, hard work and a dedicated collaborative effort between an enthusiastic leader and the community can bring about change. Further research is needed in the area of the complex phenomenon of police corruption. Change can be a good thing.