Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2020

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Barbara V. Strobert, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Christopher H. Tienken, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Domenick R. Varricchio, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Edward J. Lynskey, Ed.D.

Keywords

Supervision, CompStat, Law Enforcement, NYPD, Policing, Management by Objectives, Sergeant, Behavior, Organizational Change, Training

Abstract

This research was focused on understanding the perceptions of patrol precinct Patrol Supervisors, within the New York City Police Department, as they relate to supervision of Police Officers in a goal-oriented police department, and whether there is a connection between this perception and a supervisors behavior.

In 1994, policing in the New York City Police Department had shifted to a predictive approach to law enforcement. Police Officers were now given performance objectives to achieve. Patrol Supervisors were given the responsibility to ensure that Police Officers met those objectives, and were held strictly accountable for it. Since accountability was now placed on supervisors for performance objective achievement, there arose concerns as to whether goal-oriented policing affected supervisors and their manner of supervision.

To conduct this phenomenological research, a qualitative methodological design was utilized to collect, process, and code relevant data. This design included the utilization of open-ended interviews for data collection, transcriptions for data processing, and themed coding for data interpretation. The research findings were used to answer an overarching research question, and three sub-questions, that undergirded the research.

The results of this research seem to suggest that, as accountability is placed on Patrol Supervisors to get Police Officers to achieve performance objectives, Patrol Supervisors tend to behave in contrary to what is expected of them, and how they are trained. Results also seem to suggest that a Patrol Supervisors behavior is dependent on non-departmental guideline factors in conjunction with departmental guidelines.

In conclusion, the 21st century has demonstrated a new paradigm of law enforcement implemented by way of predictive policing. Some police departments have changed their management of crime to reflect goal-oriented policing. However, these departments have not adapted their organizational structure, from which they were founded on, to a model that is more flexible in supervision. If police departments are going to require more from their supervisors, and hold them strictly accountable for these requirements, then these departments must be structured accordingly.

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