Herrington, Victoria; Schafer, Joseph A --- "Police leadership: a comparative consideration of legislative imperatives in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States" [2018] ELECD 1332; in den Boer, Monica (ed), "Comparative Policing from a Legal Perspective" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 423

Book Title: Comparative Policing from a Legal Perspective

Editor(s): den Boer, Monica

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781785369100

Section: Chapter 21

Section Title: Police leadership: a comparative consideration of legislative imperatives in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States

Author(s): Herrington, Victoria; Schafer, Joseph A

Number of pages: 20

Abstract/Description:

Global police leadership is a complex business. Comparing police leadership in three jurisdictions, namely Australia, Canada and the United States, the authors observe that despite common roots and similarities, decades of independent evolution have resulted in unique police leadership imperatives. Each nation has a policing system has experienced its own evolutionary trajectory, grounded in unique social expectations and political controls. The analysis shows that each country has a different relationship to its stakeholders, community, government, and workforce, as well as a different approach to the management, administration, and leadership of police organizations and personnel. Within each system of policing, specific responses are required to ensure leadership development and sufficient leader and organizational accountability. The three policing systems can do more to increase accountability through formal mandates and government control. While lessons can be learnt from another, the policing systems face challenges in finding the balance between organizational autonomy and organizational accountability.