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Police officers as change agents in police reform

The organization of police departments along hierarchical, classic management lines makes it difficult for departmental leadership to tackle commonly-experienced internal problems, so as to improve performance and enhance morale. The main reason for this fact is that top-down reform invites resistances from rank-and-file officers who feel that their views have been disregarded. By contrast, interventions can gain considerable credibility if officers are enlisted as change agents, encouraging them to get involved in the design and implementation of change. This approach not only reduces opposition to innovation but results in congruent change by harnessing the experience of officers who are targets of reform. As a case in point, we review a pioneering effort to reduce the use of excessive force in a metropolitan police department which was successfully implemented by a group of patrol officers, prominently including problem officers.