Bending granite revisited: The command rank structure of American police organizations

For 30 years, critics have noted a number of ailments caused by police rank structure. This paper adds to this literature by exploring the command rank structure of American police organizations in four parts. First, police rank structure is defined. Second, the hypothesized problems and benefits of tall rank structures are culled from the prior literature and described. A review of these contentions finds little reason to believe that tall rank structures are either beneficial or detrimental. Third, a systematic review of empirical studies of a range of organizations reveals that the impact of rank structure on three classes of organizational attributes is not wholly clear. This article closes with suggestions for conducting research to better ascertain the impact of hierarchy on police agencies, and how police executives can apply this knowledge.