NCJ Number
204052
Date Published
January 1986
Length
83 pages
Publication Series
Annotation
This report examines the practical issues that police departments
face when considering the adoption, design, and implementation of
"quality circle" programs, in which small groups of employees,
primarily nonmanagement personnel from the same work unit, meet
regularly to identify, analyze, and recommend solutions to problems confronting their work unit.
Abstract
This book reports on a 2-year (1983 and 1984) study of quality
circles that involved a relevant literature review, a mail survey
of police departments, telephone interviews with department
personnel responsible for quality circles, a review of materials,
and onsite field work. The study resulted in indications of the
likely outcomes of police quality circles and information about
specific ways to better apply quality circles and similar
employee participation programs in police departments. The study
concludes that the use of quality circles in police departments
has the potential to achieve a number of small-scale service
improvements in work units that use them. The effective use of
quality circles, however, requires modest expenditures for
training, overtime pay, and other activities of quality circles.
There is no evidence to date that quality circles produce any
major improvements in service delivery or productivity. The
circles have typically focused on improving working conditions
and the resolution of relatively minor, narrowly focused
operating problems. Absent continuing maintenance of the circles and the identification of issues that impact employees' work,
quality circles tend to deteriorate after a year or two. The
long-term survival of quality circles depends on voluntary
participation, a motivated facilitator who is given time to
devote to the circle's operation, and explicit support and
recognition from upper management. Detailed recommendations are
offered for the development and maintenance of quality circles so
they can fulfill their potential for improving work unit
operations and employee morale. 24 notes and 101 references
Date Published: January 1, 1986