Blind men and elephants: A case study of consultation with police

Abstract

Although consultation has become an important vehicle for purveying psychological services to social systems, few well-defined conceptual or empirical guidelines sensitive to the multidimensional nature of complex social systems exist to structure intervention efforts. A case study of a consultative intervention with an internally conflicted police department is presented. The process of the intervention clearly illustrated the multidimensional factors sustaining the difficulties. A particular consultative intervention, the consultant-trainee model. was utilized and scemcd to have several features useful in such cases. A prc-post evaluation supported the effectiveness of the intervention and several recommendations for the conduct of effective, ecologically sensitive social system consultation were presented.problems. However, the guidelines illustrated by this case should be useful to consultants who try to work within the multidimensional networks sustaining organizations and their conflicts.

Introduction Police Psychology and the Impact of Psychological Science on Policing

“…CUrrently, police behavioral scientists are accustomed to training officers in handling issues of family conflict, domestic violence, mental illness and crisis intervention services as well as assisting officers to manage stress, foster human resources development, and receive individual and marital counseling (Reiser, 1983). At an organizationa~ level, behavioral scientists act as change agents in assisting agencies in resolving management concerns, assist in agency problem solving, and develop trust and rapport among staff (Lieber, 1978;Burkhart & King, 1981). A large survey of urban police departments revealed their ranlc ordered needs for psychological services to include personal and family counseling for officers themselves, screening for job applications, and workshops in special problems of police work (Rios, Parisher and Reilley, 1978).…”

Police/law enforcement and psychology

“…It is important to note that interventions sometimes take place at a systems level, with psychologists helping to ameliorate organizational tensions that presumably lead to stress (International Association of Chiefs of Police, 1978;Burkhart & King, 1981;Lieber, 1978). Stratton and Tracy-Stratton (1986) described another area of positive interventions by psychologists; a specialized program for helping widows of police officers deal with their loss.…”