Empowerment and Delegation

This assignment has two parts. In part 1, you will review scenarios and answer questions related to empowerment for each person. In part 2, you will answer questions about empowerment and delegation.

Part 1: Scenarios

Read each scenario and answer the question that follow in at least 90 words in preparation for part 2.

Nancy Walters

Nancy is an administrative assistant in a prosecutor’s office. For most of her two years with the office, she has served as a receptionist and a file clerk. She has been attending paralegal school for the past six months. Noted for her satisfactory performance, especially as a multitasker, she has made an effort to learn about the duties of other staff positions. Nancy has approached you, the chief prosecutor, about wanting to take on other responsibilities she believes would provide her with more job satisfaction. She specifically requests to help the assistant prosecutors put their case files together. Nancy believes she can do this when there is little activity at the receptionist’s desk.

• Would you empower Nancy to take on additional responsibilities? Why?
• Would you empower Richard? Why? If yes, how would you identify an enterprise for him to pursue?
• Is there a way to empower Angie to take on more investigative responsibility?
• Is there a way empowerment and delegation can rectify this situation?
• Explain the process of empowerment and delegation in criminal justice organizations. Include the role of trust related to delegation and empowerment.
• Analyze the implications of empowerment and delegation in a criminal justice organization. In what ways does the organization benefit?
• Discuss whether employees in the scenarios are ready for empowerment. Incorporate your responses to each scenario from part 1.

Richard Smyth

Some of the supervisors at the police department believe Richard has an “attitude problem.” He constantly complains; however, sometimes he has legitimate points. He has been with the agency eight years and does his job, but can’t keep his mouth in check. His superiors remember when he was very active and performed at a very high level. He always comments negatively when one of the “young guns” is promoted or receives a commendation for excellent work. A supervisor suggests to you, the patrol division commander, that perhaps Richard needs a significant project or responsibility to pursue. The supervisor argues Richard has the talent and experience to do just about anything. Perhaps showing a little trust in him and focusing his energy away from criticizing others would help reduce his negativity. 

Angie O’Reilly

Angie has been a patrol officer for three years. She has a strong desire to be a detective. While her only formal training has been completion of the recruit academy, she has shown a willingness to follow up on details for the investigative division. Her legwork in her free time on patrol has helped detectives who did not have time to go out in the field. Currently, there are no open positions in the investigative division.

Steve Morris

You are the new police chief on a small college campus. Steve is the assistant police chief. You have four sergeants, each supervising a patrol team of four officers. Most of the officers have college degrees. The department is busy during the fall, less so in the spring, and very quiet during semester breaks and the summer. You realize Steve is overloaded with administrative responsibilities. He creates work schedules, reviews officer reports, hires and monitors student workers, maintains the property and evidence room, keeps the log of incidents on campus for review by the media and the public, liaises with all the fraternities and sororities, and conducts training. You need him to work on a comprehensive overhaul of the campus parking plan, but he doesn’t seem to have the time.

Part 2: Empowerment and Delegation in Criminal Justice

Write a 850-word paper in which you discuss the following: 

• Explain the process of empowerment and delegation in criminal justice organizations. Include the role of trust related to delegation and empowerment.
• Analyze the implications of empowerment and delegation in a criminal justice organization. In what ways does the organization benefit?
• Discuss whether employees in the scenarios are ready for empowerment. Incorporate your responses to each scenario from part 1.