Abstract
M.Ed.
Our nation was founded on the principle that the individual has infinite dignity and
worth. The South African Police Service exists to keep the nation secured and at
peace by intensifying correct security measures throughout the country.
The only way to ensure police productivity and create police professionalism is
through all-inclusive human resource management that will involve all stakeholders in
an organisation in decision making. Generally sound labour relations that consist of
mutual respect; good faith bargaining and responsible conflict and dispute
management mechanisms should prevail in the South African Police Services.
It is therefore important to have legislation, policies and directives that should be
effectively implemented to motivate and accelerate change in the behaviour of police
officials. Glasser mentioned that human behaviour is influenced by the individual
himself rather than by external forces but with police officials external influences
contribute to a change in behaviour; thus they need support from the management of
the South African Police Service.
The psychological impact of experiences of aggression by police officials in the South
African Police Service is discussed from a psycho-educational perspective. This
perspective will encourage Police Inspectors' to deal with their experiences of
aggression.
The research nature of this study was primarily explorative, and also descriptive. The
objective of this study was to explore and describe police officials' experiences of
aggression in the South African Police Service. This research was of a qualitative
nature. The sampling element was Police inspectors working under the jurisdiction of
specific police stations in Gauteng Province.
Data gathering methods used in this research were individual interviews and
observations. The observation for this study was conducted by the researcher at the
community service centre (charge office). A total of eleven interviews were conducted but only six were audiotaped and other
participants used an answer sheet in responding to the interview and all of them were
transcribed and edited. The participants had to comment on their experiences of
aggression in the South African Police Service. These eleven interviews formed the
basis of this study to facilitate the attainment of the primary objective, which was to
explore and describe the experience of aggression by Police Inspectors in the South
African Police Service.
The data from these interviews were analysed using an open coding method. An
independent coder did an analysis independent from the researcher. A consensus
validation discussion was held with the independent coder on the codification of the
data. The detailed discussion of results obtained from the interviews and observations
were presented in verbatim quotes, descriptive and reflective notes and the illustration
of emergent themes and categories.
Rigour and adequacy were ensured by data collected and the results obtained from
data analysis indicated convergence and saturation. The integration of
trustworthiness, that is, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability were
applied throughout the study.
Ethical considerations and consent letters were presented to the participants,
including preserving of anonymity, confidentiality and the ethical role of the researcher
has adhered to.
The research is very important as the experiences of aggression by police officials in
the South African Police Service were explored and described. The research results
indicated that there is tension among senior officers and junior police officials in the
South African Police Service. Junior officials are of the opinion that their seniors ignore
them when they are making decisions. The Police Inspectors under study are
demoralised and tend to become negative towards the public. It is evident from the
results that there is lack of effective communication between senior and junior staff in
the South African Police Service. In conclusion, it is evident that aggression really exists in the workplace and officials
are affected by such aggression. The guidelines of dealing with aggression in the
South African Police Service were described in a psycho-education perspective.