Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the time-in-rank system. Describe someone who would benefit from the system and someone who wouldn't.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Because most departments are civil service organizations, administrators must rise through the ranks to get to command positions. Most police departments employ the time-in-rank system, which means that before moving up the administrative ladder, an officer must spend a certain amount of time in the next-lowest rank. For example, a sergeant cannot become a captain without first serving an appropriate amount of time as a lieutenant. The time-in-rank system promotes stability and fairness and limits favoritism. Because rank can rarely be taken away, new management does not signify a risk of losing a position. This system also protects police agencies from losing talented officers trained at the public expense to other departments who offer more money and incentives. Someone who would benefit from this might be an officer the police chief does not favor. That officer would not get passed over for promotion by one of the chief's favorites. The disadvantage of this system is that it restricts administrative flexibility, meaning that talented people cannot accelerate through the system. In the limits of time-in-rank, the department would be forced to hire an expert in a specialized field as a civilian employee instead of within the police agency. Someone who might be disadvantaged by the system is a person who has an advanced degree and would be qualified to head a team or department but has not spent enough time on the force yet. This aspect of time-in-rank leads to a conservative administration that seeks to adopt changes that minimize disruption rather than embrace innovative changes.