Resistance to Change in Police Organizations: The Diffusion Paradigm

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis, bi use of a diffusion paradigm, of factors which inhibit innovations in police organization. An in-depth review and analysis of the diffusion of innovations paradigm is presented and its application to resistance to departmental changes is evaluated. Police organizational structure, leadership styles, ideology, perceived attributes of the innovations, type of innovation, timeliness, communication channels and the community-social system are discussed as determiners of the acceptance or rejection of policY and operational decisions within police organizations. A review of literature on each of the cited areas with general recommendations for the reduction of that resistance is also included. The future of changes in police departments is discussed with the conclusion that academicians have tended to be overly optimistic concerning changes within police organizations and police practitioners and chiefs have often acted without due consideration to possible areas of conflict innovative programs mays create within a department or community.