ABSTRACT
The chapter reveals that law enforcement leaders validate the notion that institutionalized policies, procedures, and programs operate as powerful myths that police organizations ceremonially adopt. In that myths are widespread understandings of social reality that have the “ring of truth to them,” reaching national accreditation status is one method by which an agency can “look and act” like a professional police department. Police departments are cultural and social systems entrenched within their institutional environment of the State, interests groups, and public opinion. The police executives offer evidence that there is a cultural and reasoning influence within the institutional environment of the police. Institutionalized policies, procedures, and programs, such as community policing, Compstat, and police accreditation, operate as powerful myths which law enforcement organizations ceremonially adopt as strategies so that they will assist them in retaining legitimacy and control.
