Date
2-24-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Human Services
Abstract
Law enforcement agencies have long been facing a leadership crisis. Much of law enforcement organizational structure and leadership have been focused solely on police officers. Law enforcement leaders forget these traditional models and rigid structure also affect civilian personnel. The chain of command serves to streamline communication, not to facilitate unchecked behavior. However, many law enforcement leaders continue to rely on the chain of command for everything from mentoring, to coaching, to evaluation. Civilians may feel they are treated unequally and suffer from an unbalanced psychological injury. Some may consider it blasphemous to change the traditional organizational structure of law enforcement agencies.
This paper will explore the administrative issues with the paramilitary model, ethical implications, hiring civilian commanders into civilian operated units to correct the problem and identify the challenges this change may impose.