Organisational justice: is the police service ready for it?

Abstract

It is extremely important for all citizens in Australia to have a high opinion, trust and respect for the police force that serves them. This article examines organisational justice that is a constituent ingredient of trust and legitimacy in the public police, included in the theme of procedural justice featured in a recent issue of this journal. The topic of organisational justice is important to the occupational health and well-being of the police service, and therefore, the occupational commitment and dedication of the workforce. Thus, whether the predominant culture of the police force includes positive and supportive organisational justice will lead directly to the quality of service to its community. The paper covers four important integral issues relating to organisational justice that exist in many police organisations which are: management style; “managerialism”; occupational health and safety; and infringement of police officers’ human rights. Good standards of organisational justice feed into good operational practices, respect for human rights, procedural justice and fairness when police officers are dealing with members of the public. From the examination of these major issues, which are not exhaustive, the reader can judge the level of readiness to support organisational justice within public police organisations.

Keywords:

• accountability
• organisational justice
• policing in Australia
• procedural justice

Notes

1. Gassy v R [2008]; Glennon v The Queen [1994]; Livesey v NSW Bar Association [1983].