Using Volunteers in Policing: A Force Field Analysis of American Supervisors

Abstract

This study used a Force Field Analysis to assess the attitudes of American police supervisors regarding the use of volunteers in policing. Organisations exist in a state of quasi-stable equilibrium, and any planned change should work to identify the driving and restraining forces that function to maintain that equilibrium. For example, economic conditions may force police agencies to utilise volunteers to handle many policing tasks, but this may threaten the equilibrium of police organisations and traditional police culture. For this study a national sample of police supervisors completed a survey with attitude measures related to the use of volunteers in police work. Driving and restraining forces are identified and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Findings indicate that, with respect to the driving forces, the items associated with organising the community and community policing may be limited in their strength as driving forces. The power of the restraining forces indicates that the use of volunteers in policing is acceptable to this cohort of police supervisors. Aggressiveness in policing is a fairly strong restraining force. Bivariate correlation results indicate that supervisors with higher levels of education contribute to positive views of several volunteer aspects. Also, more experienced police supervisors do not feel volunteers are more trouble than they are worth. There appears to be a strong relationship between the need for volunteers as part of an agency's community policing philosophy, and volunteers are seen as important to reducing crime and disorder. Finally, several significant results suggest that volunteers are accepted within the police culture.