Publication Date: 2023/05/06
Abstract: This research responds to a call for further research on leadership in the South African Police Service. Effective police leaders become adept at responding to challenge. Ethical leadership is a necessary ingredient for successful crisis management. Police leaders are responsible for preserving democratic, economic and professional values in their capacity as leaders, in both the short and longer term. They should be able to master and deal with daily operations, emergency events and various types of crises, incremental developments and reforms, both separately and simultaneously. This comprises a large range of situations and management tasks. Against this background, we will argue that leadership both within and by the police has become more complex and challenging in recent years. At the same time, we believe that police leadership is a crucial resource in order to ensure the efficient operation and development of the police service, and essential if the police are to function efficiently with the level of quality and ethical standards that meet the demands and expectations of a liberal democracy. Drawing a direct line between these two may be oversimplified, but there is unquestionably a connection between the leadership issues that have plagued the SAPS for many years and the agency's declining effectiveness in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting crimes and lawlessness. It goes without saying that an ineffective police force has a detrimental impact on people's freedom and security, on investment and economic progress, and on the stability of the entire nation. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that the issue is receiving the attention that it merits from the nation's political leaders.
Keywords: Ethical Leadership, Leaders’ Ethicality, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Management, Relationship Management, Leadership Continuum.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7902537
PDF: https://ijirst.demo4.arinfotech.co/assets/upload/files/IJISRT23APR1247.pdf
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