ABSTRACT
The Administration of a police department involves the logical coordination and arrangement of people, tasks, and resources in a manner designed to achieve its mission. Department managers accomplish the responsibility through the use of their authority to command and manage the organization's employees and assets. The majority of police departments in the United States are bureaucratic organizations with centralized managerial authority systems based on a logical hierarchical ordering of positions. Individuals at the middle management level in policing are majors, captains, lieutenants, watch commanders, or civilian managers in administrative positions. Middle managers accomplish their responsibilities by engaging in planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling departmental resources and personnel. Police supervisors by their role and occupational experience are task-oriented. Factor analysis of the dimensions identified four distinct supervisory styles. These are traditional, innovative, supportive, and active supervisory styles. Traditional methods of police administration, authority, and command are being challenged by substantial demands for change.
