Leadership in problem‐oriented policing

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of leadership in problem-oriented policing (POP). Design/methodology/approach -This paper uses interrupted time series models to isolate the impact on crime trends of a transformational leader's efforts to spearhead the implementation of a program of POP, called the problem solving model (PSM), in a southern state in Australia.Findings -This paper finds that the PSM led directly to an impact on overall crime, with a significant reduction in crimes per 100,000 persons per year after the introduction of the PSM. The majority of the overall crime drop attributable to implementation of POP was driven by reductions in property crime. It was noted that the leadership influence of the PSM was not effective in reducing all types of crime. Crimes against the person where not affected by the introduction of the PSM and public nuisance crimes largely followed the forecasted, upward trajectory. Practical implications -The driver behind the PSM was Commissioner Hyde and the success of the PSM is largely attributable to his strong commitment to transformational leadership and a top-down approach to implementation. These qualities encapsulate the original ideas behind POP that Goldstein (1979Goldstein ( , 2003, back in 1979, highlighted as critical for the success of future POP programs. Social implications -Reducing crime is an important part of creating safe communities and improving quality of life for all citizens. This research shows that successful implementation of the PSM within South Australia under the strong leadership of Commissioner Hyde was a major factor in reducing property crime and overall crime rates. Originality/value -This paper is valuable because it demonstrates the link between strong leadership in policing, the commissioner's vision for POP and how his vision then translated into widespread adoption of POP. The study empirically shows that the statewide adoption of POP led to significant reductions in crime, particularly property crime.

Institutionalizing problem‐oriented policing: An evaluation of the EMUN reform in Israel

“…… A clear association was identified between the strength and determination of Commissioner Hyde's leadership and the implementation, persistence and effectiveness of the PSM model over more than a decade. (Mazerolle et al., 2013, p. 548)…”

“…reported on regular “tasking and co‐ordination group meetings” that would identify “emergent crime and disorder problems” and coordinate the use of “POP methodologies to reduce opportunities for crime.” Unfortunately, as Mazerolle et al. (2013, p. 557) noted, their evaluation did not have qualitative data on the institutionalization of PSM, and it is difficult to identify precisely how PSM encouraged the embedding of POP into the routine activities of the organization, nor to what extent its message was diffused through it.…”

“…1 Like Compstat, PSM was developed by a charismatic police leader who sought to reform a large police agency, in this case, the South Australian Police. Indeed, Mazerolle, Darroch, and White (2013) attributed the program's success in reducing property crime to the persistence and leadership of the Commissioner who created and led the reform for a decade:…”

“…Like Compstat, PSM was developed by a charismatic police leader who sought to reform a large police agency, in this case, the South Australian Police. Indeed, Mazerolle, Darroch, and White (2013) attributed the program's success in reducing property crime to the persistence and leadership of the Commissioner who created and led the reform for a decade:

Commissioner Hyde's leadership rebuilt SAPOL from the top down and bottom up. … He recrafted the organization around problem solving and the best of available police innovations through long‐term unremitting transformative leadership.

…”

“…Importantly, however, the PSM reform did not simply focus on management control but placed emphasis on “POP methodologies” (Mazerolle et al., 2013, p. 547). Mazerolle et al.…”