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Chapter 8
PROMOTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
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Chapter 8 Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, students will know
• What the workplace culture is
• What norms are and why they are important
• Where an officer’s first loyalty must lie
• How managers can shape the workplace culture
• What the Johari Window describes
• What a necessary first step for growth and development is
• Why it is important to help officers grow and develop
Chapter 8 Outline
Introduction
Job Descriptions
The Workplace Culture
The Police Culture
Norms
Changing the Workplace Culture
Developing Positive Interpersonal Relationships
Developing a Positive Image
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Developing Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
Racial Profiling
Profiling as a Legitimate Law Enforcement Tool
Unintentional Racial Profiling
Developing a Sense of Ethics and Integrity
Chapter 8 Summary
The workplace culture is the sum of the beliefs and values shared by those within the
organization, which formally and informally communicate their expectations. Norms are
the attitudes and beliefs held by the members of a group. An officer’s first loyalty must
be to defend the Constitution of the United States, his or her state constitution and laws
and local laws.
Personal and organizational goals are a necessary first step for growth and development.
Touchstone values, what people say is important to them, and daily values, how people
actually spend their time and energy, need to correlate.
Managers who contribute to accomplishing department goals while developing their
subordinates into top performers are superior balanced performer managers who
empower others. The three stages of growth are dependent, independent and
Instructor’s Manual
position and (3) involves a reward or personal gain for the individual. Developing
individuals and team players is important because most future law enforcement managers
will come from the lower levels of the organization.
Chapter 8 Key Terms
balanced performer managers develop subordinates’ and an organization’s
capabilities.
balancing unfairly stopping unoffending motorists to protect officers from the
“statistical microscope” individually or collectively.
code of silence encourages officers not to speak up when they see another officer
doing something wrong.
integrity steadfast adherence to an ethical code.
Johari window a model to illustrate how people can learn more about others and
themselves.
norms attitudes and beliefs held by a group of individuals.
Classroom Discussion Questions
1. Select one of the topics introduced in this chapter to study in more depth. Find a
recent article related to it and either summarize or outline the article. You may use
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2. Accepting gratuities has long been a debate among police scholars. What would
you consider a gratuity? Make a list of what you consider “perks,” such as those
4. Within the class develop a informal town meeting that would help the general
public have a better understanding of what police “really do” versus what
“television cops do.”
9. What are your three most important touchstone values? Your three most
important daily values? Do they correlate? If not, what should you do?
10. What ethical problems have you faced in your life?
11. How are unconditional backup and the code of silence related?
Student Activities
1. Obtain a job description for the position of patrol officer from two police
departments of similar size. Compare the criteria stated in both descriptions. Can
you suggest any additions or deletions with justifications for such
recommendations?
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Challenge Eight
As the new police chief of the Greenfield Police Department, you expected some
resistance from officers during the transition from a crime fighting philosophy to a
community policing philosophy. Several veteran officers oppose the change. Most
younger officers are willing to try community policing and enjoy interacting with the
community. Unfortunately, they worry about being rejected by the veteran officers. Most
younger officers do not want to buck the prevailing police culture and informal hierarchy.
Officer Blake, a senior officer and vocal opponent of community policing, is an informal
department leader. You decide to ride along with him on a patrol shift. He’s an honest
As you listen to Officer Blake, he patrols a park where a group of young Asian men are
gathered. He drives by slowly and stares at them. They look down, not making eye
Challenge Eight Questions and Suggested Answers
1. How would you encourage the new officers’ enthusiasm for community policing and
help them buck the prevailing culture?
New officers need to be accepted by their fellow officers. That does not mean they
have to sacrifice their personal goals and their desire to succeed. They must
understand that their success is tied to attaining department goals, not adherence to
the unwritten rules of an informal hierarchy. As chief you need to instill confidence in
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2. Is Officer Blake a good candidate to be a mentor for a new officer?
Officer Blake is probably not a good mentor choice given his current attitude toward
3. Officer Blake is clearly entrenched in the crime fighting mode of law enforcement.
How would his encounter with the young men in the park affect your department’s
public image?
Officer Blake’s “us against them” mind-set creates an adversary relationship with a
4. Isolating police officers in squad cars creates a barrier to good communications and
can thwart cultural awareness. How could an emphasis on community policing have
changed this encounter?
In some cultures, direct eye contact can be a sign of disrespect. By looking down, the
men in the park may have been demonstrating respect for the police. Officer Blake
5. As a new chief attempting to implement a community policing strategy, how would
you address the issue of gratuities?
Some experts compare community policing to the old beat patrols—“old wine in a
new bottle.” Both have inherent risks of corruption. Close interaction with the