Question 1

The chief is ultimately responsible for what occurs in the department.

Accepted Answer

The chief, as the top leader of the department, bears overall responsibility for the department's actions and outcomes. This includes ensuring proper training, equipment, and resources for personnel, making decisions about policies and procedures, and being accountable to the community and its leaders.

Question 2

Nearly all police departments grasp the potential of quantitative research.

Accepted Answer

Many police departments may not fully grasp the potential of quantitative research due to various factors such as lack of resources, training, or focus on immediate practical concerns over research-based strategies.

Question 3

What type of uncertainty arises during the course of attempting to coordinate the activities of various units and ensure that they have adequate resources to get the job done?
A) technical uncertainty
B) managerial uncertainty
C) institutional uncertainty
D) none of these choices

Accepted Answer

This type of uncertainty is commonly known as managerial uncertainty, which refers to the difficulties and challenges managers face while trying to coordinate the activities of various units and allocate resources efficiently. Technical uncertainty relates to the uncertainty about the outcome of a process or product, while institutional uncertainty arises from external factors such as changes in regulation or market conditions.

Question 4

Output control goes hand-in-hand with the notion of organizational culture.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Output control goes hand-in-hand with the notion...

Question 5

It is extremely difficult to measure the productivity of a particular police department.

Accepted Answer

Productivity of a police department cannot be easily measured as it involves various factors such as crime rates, community satisfaction, officer training and effectiveness, and overall departmental efficiency. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that cannot be accurately determined by a single metric or indicator.

Question 6

Control affords administrators an opportunity to decentralize command.

Accepted Answer

Control allows administrators to delegate authority, giving subordinates more decision-making power and decentralizing command.

Question 7

Capital investment is unrelated to productivity.

Accepted Answer

Capital investment can lead to increased productivity by providing better equipment, infrastructure, and technology to workers, thus making their work more efficient and effective.

Question 8

Audits and research are the most neglected areas of information collection available to police managers.

Accepted Answer

Audits and research are often overlooked by police managers, who often prioritize operational concerns and day-to-day management tasks. However, these areas are important for assessing the effectiveness of policing strategies and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Question 9

What term describes reserving top executive attention for those few instances involving significant deviations from anticipated performance?
A) management by exception
B) delegation
C) indirect leadership
D) chain of command

Accepted Answer

Management by exception is a management technique that involves focusing on addressing significant deviations from anticipated performance, while delegating routine tasks and decision-making authority to subordinates. This approach reserves top executive attention for those critical situations that require higher-level intervention, allowing leaders to avoid getting bogged down in day-to-day operations.

Question 10

Public organizations have a tendency to produce intangible services, which makes it difficult to measure productivity.

Accepted Answer

Public organizations such as government agencies, schools, and hospitals often provide services that are not easily quantifiable or tangible, such as education, healthcare, and law enforcement. This makes it difficult to measure productivity and assess the value of the services provided.

Question 11

Thompson identified what sources of uncertainty for organizations?
A) technical
B) managerial
C) institutional
D) all of these choices

Accepted Answer

Thompson identified technical, managerial, and institutional sources of uncertainty for organizations. Therefore, all of these choices are the best answer.

Question 12

One productivity measure for officers is complaints received.

Accepted Answer

Complaints received is a measure of how many complaints have been filed against an officer. A higher number of complaints indicates that the officer is less productive.

Question 13

The control system should be as automatic as possible.

Accepted Answer

An automatic control system can save time, reduce errors, and increase efficiency compared to a manual system, making it desirable for many applications.

Question 14

Many traditional measures of police productivity are similar to "bean counting."

Accepted Answer

Traditional measures of police productivity often focus on quantitative measures such as number of arrests or citations issued, which can be seen as simply "counting beans" rather than focusing on the quality of police work or community engagement.

Question 15

The lowest level of control is tactical control.

Accepted Answer

The lowest level of control is operational control, which focuses on day-to-day operations and tasks.

Question 16

One high-risk area of law enforcement where clearly defined policies and procedures are of paramount importance is the use of deadly force.

Accepted Answer

The use of deadly force carries serious consequences both for the officer who employs it and for the individual or individuals who are affected by it. Clear policies and procedures can help ensure that deadly force is used only when absolutely necessary and in accordance with legal and ethical standards. Without such guidance, officers may be more prone to act on instinct or emotion, increasing the risk of unnecessary or unjustified use of deadly force.

Question 17

Formal constraints that influence the control function include:
A) laws
B) budgets
C) unions
D) all of these choices

Accepted Answer

Laws, budgets, and unions are all examples of formal constraints that can impact the control function. Laws set legal boundaries for how an organization can operate and can affect how managers control their employees. Budgets limit the amount of resources available for managers to work with and can impact their ability to implement control measures. Unions can also set constraints on how managers control their employees, particularly with regards to issues such as work hours, compensation, and employee discipline.

Question 18

Productivity is the relationship between the resources used and the results obtained.

Accepted Answer

Productivity is defined as the ratio of output to input. It is a measure of how efficiently resources (inputs) are used to produce goods or services (outputs). Therefore, it is a relationship between the resources used (inputs) and the results obtained (outputs).

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT an administrative challenge that can be dealt with by appropriate control mechanisms?
A) coping with uncertainty
B) detecting irregularities
C) handling complex situations
D) preserving the status quo

Accepted Answer

Preserving the status quo is not a challenge that requires control mechanisms. It is more of a mindset or philosophy that may actually hinder progress and innovation in an organization. The other options - coping with uncertainty, detecting irregularities, and handling complex situations - are all challenges that can be addressed through appropriate control mechanisms such as risk management, internal controls, and contingency planning.

Question 20

Expectations and requirements for police behavior should be left to external devices.

Accepted Answer

Expectations and requirements for police behavior should not be left to external devices, but should be established through policies, laws, and oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and ethical conduct.

Quiz 12: Control and Productivity in the Police Setting