The organizational structure of most American police departments is a bureaucracy with an authoritarian management style; the only exception is smaller departments which have a more informal management style and simple organizational structure (Katz and Walker, 2008). Most departments have a civil service system to govern personal policies, except for the smallest agencies. The majority of larger departments have collective bargaining contracts with unions to represent rank-and file- officers (Katz and Walker, 2008).
Police organizations in America still use the quasi-military style which was developed by Sir Robert Peel in 1829 for the London Metropolitan Police. Police organizations are similar to the military in that the officers wear uniforms, they use military ranks such a sergeant, there is a hierarchical command structure, they use an authoritarian style with disciplinary actions for not obeying orders, and officers carry weapons and have the authority to use physical force and make arrests which deprive people of their liberty (Katz and Walker, 2008).Police organizations only simulate the military style and professionalism; there are four main differences between police departments and the military. The first is that officers serve and protect the public instead of combat a foreign enemy; secondly, the services provided by officers are meant to help people and often individual citizens request assistance; the third is officers are governed by laws which protect the rights of citizens; and lastly, officers normally act individually as opposed to the military which is trained to act as a group or unit (Katz and Walker, 2008).
The three theories used to describe police organizations are contingency theory, intuitional theory, and resource dependency theory. The contingency theory is the main framework used to understand the structure and policies of police organizations. The contingency theory revolves around the belief that organizations are developed to attain certain goals, such as crime control (Katz and Walker, 2008).The contingency theory has two presumptions about police organizations. The first assumption is that police organizations "must adapt themselves to the external environment when their existing goals are affected by changes in their operating conditions" (Katz and Walker, 2008). The second assumption is that police organizations have to remain dynamic so they can stay balanced between their organization and their environment (Katz and walker, 2008).
According to the institutional theory, police organizations are social institutions which operate according to external social and political environment; the underlying belief of this theory is that the organization and actions of the police must be understood in the context of their institutional environment (Katz and Walker, 2008).The institutional theory debates that rationality is not reflected by the police organizations actions and that police agencies develop organizations because they reflect department beliefs and ideas; not because they are more practical. This being said, the institutional theory holds that the organizations and activities of police departments must reflect ideas and beliefs of their external environment (Katz and Walker, 2008).Suggested by the resource dependency theory, organizations require resources to function and must interact with other organizations in order to obtain these resources; in order to successfully exchange resources organizations must adapt their structure or strategy to accommodate the organizations donating the resources (Katz and Walker, 2008). Organizations with the ability to supply resources may have power over other organizations wishing to receive the resources.
Organizations wishing to receive resources may attempt to influence the organizations that are supplying resources.
