Polisiebeamptes se belewenis van dissiplinêre prosedures

Date
2002
Authors
Van der Bank, L. (Louis)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The application of discipline is crucial for the South African Police Service. The new political dispensation in South Africa resulted in the amalgamation of different police departments and the use of the Discipline Regulations of 1995 as the new standard of discipline. The magnitude of the police service makes the application of discipline difficult and results in lengthy disciplinary procedures that cause high levels of frustration and stress amongst police officials. The high suicide rate amongst police officials raises questions regarding the factors that cause undue pressure. This led to the interest for this study and the following research questions: Firstly, how do police officials perceive the fairness of the disciplinary procedures of the SAPS. Secondly, what guidelines can be developed to enhance the police official's perception regarding the fairness of the disciplinary procedure. The theoretical perspective focused on discipline in organisations and procedural justice to describe fairness perceptions. The present study was divided into two phases. Firstly, to identify and describe the police official's experience of the disciplinary procedures of the SAPS and secondly, to develop guidelines that would enhance the fairness experience of the disciplinary procedures by police officials. The study was qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual in design, The data was obtained by means of phenomenological interviews with respondents of two different populations, namely police officials that were exposed to a departmental tribunal, and experts of the disciplinary procedures of the SAPS. Once saturation level of the data was obtained, interviews were transcribed verbatim. Data was analyzed by utilizing the steps described by Tesch (Cresswell, 1994). The services of an independent decoder were also called in during the data analysis. Various themes were identified, as having an influence on the police official's experience of the disciplinary procedures of the SAPS. These are as follows: Police officials experience discrimination amongst members; that the process is emotionally exhausting; that the process becomes needlessly complex due to many petty or unnecessary charges; that there is a lack of consistent actions between the different role players in the process. The expert respondent group identified the following themes: There is a lack of consistent actions in the application of the process; cases are unique in nature and are assessed on merit; cases are often delayed; police officials experience the process as traumatic; station commissioners do not investigate cases properly; there is either a lack of emotional support or it is been wrongly applied. Throughout the process, steps were maintained to ensure trustworthiness. A literature control was also conducted to verify themes. Themes of the expert group were also used to verify themes of the police officials' group. Guidelines intended for use by supervisors and commanders were drawn up. These were based on the data obtained. The guidelines are supported by the existing Discipline Regulations (RSA, 1996), as well as the Discipline Guidelines (SAPS, 1996). It should therefore be of great value and use to supervisors and commanders. Recommendations for the application of the results in discipline practices, discipline education and further research concerning the discipline paradigm are discussed. In conclusion, findings indicated that police officials experience the disciplinary procedures of the SAPS as stressful and frustrating, and often as traumatic and emotionally exhausting. Supervisors and commanders should therefore endeavor towards the effective application of discipline in order to allow for a more fair perception of the process by their subordinates. It could also be advantageous towards the change of undesirable behaviour and to enhance moral and organisational climate at the station or unit.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toepassing van dissipline is onontbeerlik vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Die nuwe politieke bestel in Suid-Afrika het die amalgamering van onderskeie polisiedepartemente tot gevolg gehad, en Dissipline-Regulasies wat gedurende 1995 uitgevaardig is dien nou as maatstaf vir dissipline-toepassing. Die omvang van die polisiediens maak die toepassing van dissipline moeilik en veroorsaak dat die dissiplinêre prosedure dikwels uitgerek word en dat dit baie spanning en frustrasie onder polisielede veroorsaak. Die hoë selfmoordsyfer onder polisiebeamptes veroorsaak baie vrae ten opsigte van die faktore wat onnodige druk op hulle mag plaas. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot hierdie studie en die stel van die volgende navorsingsvrae: Eerstens, hoe billik polisiebeamptes die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure beleef. Tweedens, watter riglyne ontwikkel kan word sodat werknemers die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure as meer regverdig en billik beleef. Vanuit 'n teoretiese perspektief is gekonsentreer op die toepassing van dissipline in organisasies, asook prosessuele geregtigheid wat poog om die billikheidservaring van werknemers te beskryf Die studie was in twee fases ingedeeL Eerstens, om die polisiebeampte se belewenis van die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure te identifiseer en te beskryf en tweedens, om riglyne op te stel sodat die toepassing van dissipline as meer billik en regverdig beleef kan word. Die studie was kwalitatief, verkennend, beskrywend en kontekstueel van aard. Die data was ingesamel deur fenomenologiese onderhoudvoering met deelnemers van twee populasies, naamlik polisiebeamptes wat self 'n departementele tribunaal beleef het, asook kenners van die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure. Nadat alle data versadig was, is die onderhoude verbatim getranskribeer. Data-analise wat gebaseer is op die stappe soos beskryf deur Tesch (Cresswell, 1994), het hierna gevolg. Tydens die proses van data-analise is daar vir kontroledoeleindes, ook gebruik gemaak van die dienste van 'n onafhanklike kodeerder. Op hierdie wyse is verskillende temas, kategorieë en sub-kategorieë geïdentifiseer ten opsigte van die polisiebeampte se belewenis van die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure. Dit kan soos volg beskryf word: Polisielede is van mening dat daar tussen polisiebeamptes gediskrimineer word; dat die proses emosioneel uitputtend is; dat die proses onnodig ingewikkeld gemaak word met baie geringe of onnodige aanklagte; en dat daar nie konsekwente optrede tussen die verskillende rolspelers in die proses bestaan nie. Die temas, kategorieë en sub-kategorieë van die kennergroep kan soos volg vermeld word: Daar bestaan 'n gebrek aan konsekwentheid in die toepassing van die proses; sake bly uniek en word op eie meriete beoordeel; sake sloer dikwels te lank; polisiebeamptes ervaar die proses as traumaties; stasiekommissarisse ondersoek nie altyd sake behoorlik nie; en dat emosionele ondersteuning dikwels ontbreek ofverkeerd toegepas word. Daar is deurgaans aandag geskenk aan aspekte om geloofwaardigheid te verseker. 'n Literatuurkontrole is uitgevoer om die temas te bevestig. Die kennergroep se temas is ook gebruik om die polisiebeamptegroep se temas te verifieër. Riglyne vir dissiplinetoepassing, is vir bevelvoerders en toesighouers opgestel. Die riglyne is gebaseer op die data wat verkry is. Die riglyne word ondersteun deur die bestaande Dissipline- Regulasies (RSA, 1996), sowel as die Dissipline-Riglyne (SAPS, 1996) en behoort daarom met groot vrug gebruik te kan word. Aanbevelings vir die toepassing van die resultate in dissiplinepraktyke en dissipline-opleiding, asook die bevordering van navorsing gemoeid met die dissiplineparadigma is ook bespreek. Dit gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat polisiebeamptes baie spanning en frustrasie met die toepassing van die SAPD se dissiplinêre prosedure beleef, en dat dit meestalook as traumaties en emosioneel uitputtend ervaar word. Toesighouers en bevelvoerders behoort daarop ingestel te wees om dissipline meer effektief toe te pas, sodat hul werknemers die proses as meer billik en regverdig ervaar. Verder mag dit moontlik die voordeel inhou dat groter suksesse behaal word in die verandering van ongewensde gedrag en kan dit ook die moraal en organisasieklimaat van die stasie of eenheid verbeter.
Description
Thesis (MEcon)--Stellenboschniversity, 2002.
Keywords
South African Police Service, Labor discipline -- South Africa, Police -- South Africa -- Discipline -- Attitudes, Labor discipline -- South Africa -- Psychological aspects, Dissertations -- Industrial psychology, Theses -- Industrial psychology
Citation