Manjit Sappal

Date of Award

Spring 3-1-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

The City of Richmond, California Police Department incorporated a decentralized organizational structure in 2007 when it moved to a geographic policing model that resulted in a flatter organization as a means of improving performance. The geographic policing model established three policing districts and expanded the role of the police officer to not only respond to emergency calls, but to engage in deeper problem solving at the neighborhood level. A review of the relevant literature will discuss centralized and decentralized structures as well as define appropriate performance measures for modern day policing. Data will be collected from sworn police employees and members of the community on several measures of performance to compare the organization before and after the structural change. The results of this study may provide information on whether a flatter organizational policing structure can improve performance. The author of this study is a police captain at the Richmond Police Department that completed this research as a student of Golden Gate University. His interest in improving effectiveness and responsiveness in public services led him to investigate the value a flatter organization might provide for police departments.

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