Organizational Behavior

GM591 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Veteran Affairs Police Department

Leadership and organizational behavior, is it working?

Introduction

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police is the uniformed police service of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for the protection of the VA Medical Centers and other facilities operated by United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Health Administration. The VA Police have several divisions and operate separately but alongside the VA Law Enforcement Training Center (VA LETC) under the umbrella of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement. Like many other VA police departments, Columbia Missouri’s VA Police Department is under the direction of a facility director (much like a municipal agency under a mayor), causing an extensive amount of difference in operational format. Depending on which VA police department you work at depends on your career opportunities and availability for promotions. Because of the lack of knowledge facility directors have on law enforcement, most VA police departments do not function to their maximum ability and at best conduct basic police work. This results in most police officers moving to different locations in order to find a facility that operates a functional police department and provides an opportunity for career growth. Since I have been with the Columbia Missouri’s VA Police Department in 2008; we have lost four police officers, three deciding to transfer to other facilities, and one resigning from the department. As of today, the VA police department is currently operating below minimum personnel strength by three police officers putting additional hardship and strain on officers, and the organization.

I am a Police Offer with the VA police department in Columbia Missouri. I started with the VA police department in...