The Social Construction of Leadership: Patrol Officer Perspectives on Preferred Management Styles

• In Event: Law Enforcement Attitudes Toward Leadership, Promotion, and Change

Abstract

Police executives play a unique role in organizations as they are not primarily trained to be managers of people, but to ensure compliance. Previous research has examined the influence that supervisory management styles have on police officer behaviour, however researchers have yet to examine the perspective of patrol officers on their preferred style of management. Using data collected through a survey of police personnel and over 300 hours of participant observation, this study evaluates how patrol officers socially construct their preferred style of management. Findings indicate that officers preferred a bottom-up, participatory approach to management.

Authors

• Damian Sycz, University of Waterloo

• Jennifer L. Schulenberg, University of Waterloo