Motivation in Law Enforcement
| Motivating the Unappreciated | Crystal Tussey | | |
|
Trying to motivate employees who feel that they are under paid and underappreciated can be a daunting task in itself, but add law enforcement officers who feel that way and things can get more difficult. Communities rely on law enforcement officers to protect and serve, to be there when there is trouble, and be an example to those all around. Having a negative reaction to lack of pay raise such as calling in sick often and slowing down response times to emergencies creates a lot more problems and leaves communities ultimately feeling insecure.
Having taken on the position of police chief, it is clear that a stand must be taken somewhere to not only motivate the officers who are slacking off in their duties, but also to motivate the mayor to a compromise for a raise. It is understandable if the budget does not allow for all the officers to obtain raises at the same time, and it is not in anyone’s vested interest to lose the position of police chief either. However, there must be a middle ground that can be negotiated between the two opposing sides. Arguing with the mayor will accomplish as much as arguing with the officers themselves, so a different approach must be taken.
Reminding officers of their purpose and their oath is the first step in working to motivate the department’s officers to start performing their job functions again. There is a reason that each one of them had for getting involved in law enforcement to begin with, and taking the time to remind them of that very first motivator will help open the door to communication with them (More, Vito, & Walsh. 2012). Complacency in the field is unacceptable and can be costly so the next step would involve reenergizing the officers. Keeping the energy levels high can be difficult, though not impossible. Greeting employees with enthusiasm when they arrive at work will help start the shift off on a positive note and begin
|
Trying to motivate employees who feel that they are under paid and underappreciated can be a daunting task in itself, but add law enforcement officers who feel that way and things can get more difficult. Communities rely on law enforcement officers to protect and serve, to be there when there is trouble, and be an example to those all around. Having a negative reaction to lack of pay raise such as calling in sick often and slowing down response times to emergencies creates a lot more problems and leaves communities ultimately feeling insecure.
Having taken on the position of police chief, it is clear that a stand must be taken somewhere to not only motivate the officers who are slacking off in their duties, but also to motivate the mayor to a compromise for a raise. It is understandable if the budget does not allow for all the officers to obtain raises at the same time, and it is not in anyone’s vested interest to lose the position of police chief either. However, there must be a middle ground that can be negotiated between the two opposing sides. Arguing with the mayor will accomplish as much as arguing with the officers themselves, so a different approach must be taken.
Reminding officers of their purpose and their oath is the first step in working to motivate the department’s officers to start performing their job functions again. There is a reason that each one of them had for getting involved in law enforcement to begin with, and taking the time to remind them of that very first motivator will help open the door to communication with them (More, Vito, & Walsh. 2012). Complacency in the field is unacceptable and can be costly so the next step would involve reenergizing the officers. Keeping the energy levels high can be difficult, though not impossible. Greeting employees with enthusiasm when they arrive at work will help start the shift off on a positive note and begin
References: Dahlinger, D. C. (2011, October 11). Motivational Policing. Law Enforcement Today. Retrieved from http://lawenforcementtoday.com/2011/10/31/motivational-policing/ More. H. W., Vito, G. F., & Walsh, W. F. (2012). Organizational behavior and management in law enforcement (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurements, and validation . Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442-1465. Retrieved from http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/spreitze/Psychempowerment.pdf