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JOB SATISFACTION OF POLICE IN BANGLADESH: AN EMPIRICAL

STUDY IN TANGAIL DISTRICT.

MD. OMAR FARUK1*, MST. NURJAHAN KHATUN1, AND MD. ROKON UDDIN2

Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhashani Science and TechnologyUniversity, Bangladesh. 2Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Dhaka University,

Bangladesh.

AbstractThe term policeis assumed to be related to secure and peaceful societywhich would satisfy peoples desire of safety. In spite of a greater level of

expectation for service from police in Bangladesh, people are unwillinglyrestricted to reach their needs. Though there are allegations against police

personnel for doing maltreatment and activities need to be judged from theirown professional ethics for better understanding of their life. The present

study voyages through the mental state of police personnel about job

satisfaction. The lower ranked officers working under Tangail district areincluded as subjects for studying. In selected study areas, probability random

sampling has been used and convenience sampling is used for selection of the

respondents within the target areas. A total of 150 on-the-job police personnelwere included within the study as respondents. The study identifies the level of

job satisfaction of police as average or moderate by examining fifteenvariables associated with job satisfaction. Variations in job satisfaction have

been found in terms of geographical location, education, rank, religion,gender and number family members. Dissatisfaction in job may undermineprofessionalism; enhance stress; foster corruption and tend to dishonesty; anddamage attempts to improve efficiency. Factors related to job satisfaction for

police are needed to be improved for efficiency and better policing.

Key words: Police officers, Police life, Job description, Job satisfaction.

Introduction

Police are the agents or agencies, usually of the executive, empowered to enforce law and

to ensure social and public order through legitimate use of force. Peoples safety and

security within a community depends on their roles. The police are the only uniformed

government civil law enforcement agency in Bangladesh with its long history and

heritage for centuries. Though people seek help from police in danger, fear, crime, or

suffering; police hold negative reputation from public and receive hostility as well as

abhorrence. Many researches have been conducting on the issue of police corruption andinefficiency. Peoples expectation from police touches the sky, but people do not perceive

the lag between their expectations and capabilities of police. However, it is also true, in

the sense of human resource management, that if police are dissatisfied with their jobs,

performance will be minimal or reduced. Job satisfaction of police in Bangladesh may

show direction or open new dimension for factors affecting police performance. Thepresent study reveals various aspects of job satisfaction of police and their relation to

other variables.

* Author for correspondence

1

Journal of Science of Technology, 1 (1): 00-00, March 2011
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_(government)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_(government)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement

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Present Situation of Police Life in Bangladesh

In an arrangement (The Daily Star 2007) of 'The Daily Star' roundtable on draft Bangladesh

Police Ordinance, 2007, former IGP Mohammad Nurul Huda slated the provision of

having police on duty for 24 hours under The Police Act, 1861. They are meant to

uphold human rights, "but how come they do that when their minimum rights are not

honored."

In a report Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) observed that salary given to

the police officers and constables is insufficient. Police officers and constables work 13-

18 hours a day. A police personnel is always confronted with the problem of inadequate

logistic support. On an average 5-6 police staffs sit in each room of a police station.

Police Stations at districts and thana level have no prison van. Malkhanas of metropolitan

and district police stations are narrow and unhygienic, while police stations or thanas

have no malkhana. The toilet facilities of police stations are insufficient. Most of thepolice stations do not have sufficient number of cars, and the available cars are outdated.The police stations are not provided with necessary furniture. More than(45.5) percent

arms in the metropolitan police stations are Chinese shot guns, 78.6 percent arms in the

police stations at district levels are three-not-three rifles, at thana levels police stations

this is 95.5 percent, whereas, criminals are equipped with modern arms. Police get only

18.4 percent times for works relating to criminal cases with huge caseload. Other works

vested on maintaining law and order (40.6%), and ensuring the security of VIPs (32.7%)

(TIB 2004).

In an investigative report (Islam 2007) made by The Daily Star, it is found that an

investigation officer (IO) of a case gets a little over Tk. 3.00 a day as conveyance; the IO

also gets Tk. 10.00 a day as the cost of three meals for an accused in police custody; An

investigator who has a government motorcycle gets around 1.7 litres of fuel a day--50

litres a month, but one who has his personal motorbike gets only Tk 127.00 a month as

motorcycle allowance. An investigator has to visit frequently the places of occurrence,

interview witnesses, arrange repeated drives for the arrest of suspects, visit the court for

hearing of cases and laboratories for forensic test of seized items, and take accidentvictims to hospitals. All these cost an IO has to personally pay that is a huge amount of

money but they get almost no allocation. These phenomena led to bribery in the police

force.

In another report (Karim 2007) it is found that life appears very difficult for police

officials. The study gives ample proof of the neglect and sub-human conditions they live

with. For example, in Shyamoli a ramshackle shack was used to live rather than a

dormitory. Junior officials practically survive amidst the growing slime around them.Several chowkis (bed) are lined up together in one room, where sometimes two officials

have to share one single chowki. These multi- purpose chowkis are also used during mealtimes since it is practically impossible to eat sitting on the ground that is filled with bricks

and debris. Still using wood and coal to cook, the walls and the floors are filled with

grime, soot and muck.

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A report obtained that Police in Dhaka are suffering from insufficient sleeping

arrangements and unhygienic conditions in their barracks. After ensuring others safetythroughout the day they have to fight for a place to sleep. It is thus really hard for them to

behave well with people the next day. A room at Rajarbagh Police Line can

accommodate 20 beds, although 50 to 60 beds are crammed into every room with no

lockers for clothing. Extra beds are even crammed onto the staircases and balconies of

the six-storey buildings. It takes at least six months to get a light bulb after applying for

one. The DMP has 23,600 men of different ranks, but Rajarbagh Police Line can

accommodate only one or two percent of them (bdnews24.com 2007).

Paolo del Mistro, an anti-corruption specialist of the UNDPs police reforms programme

(PRP), reviewed that the police do not enjoy their job and the life they are leading is not

satisfactory and often destroys their self-respect. Paolo carried out a research on the

Bangladesh police for six months to get enough data to formulate strategic plan for

reforming it. He emphasized on overwork, low pay, poor living conditions, recruitment,

promotion and transfer process of the police that cause dissatisfaction (Azad 2007).

Yet behind this all too publicized facade lie the unhappy lot of the individual police

person. Not only does he/she generally go without overtime allowance and annual leave

but is also often deprived of the weekly holiday and at times religious and national

festivals pass them by because of the pressure of work, thus making a total 26% extra

days of work per year for the policemen. 70% of them will have to make to do without

house to live in and without family. Men of any rank may be frequently and suddenly

transferred to take over within short time. It would be difficult to find any professionother than police which has considerable number of injury and casualties while

performing their duties (Huq 2004).

In a training program arranged by PRP, funded by the UNDP, police officials told about

their problems (Ghias 2007). Problems that was addressed during the training programwere lack of managerial competence, training and resources, low motivation due to low

pay scale, poor working condition, limited promotion prospects, less participation of

women, more focus on protocol, inadequate strategy planning, peoples lack of trust onpolice and police personnels lack of sensitivity on the plight of victims.

Government uses the police as a branch of its political organisation and suppresses often

the rightful activities of opposition political parties. Extensive political use of police force

hinders the development of professionalism, as a result less qualified and dishonest police

officers are placed in important positions, and the people remain deprived of the service

of honest and sincere police officers (Karzon 2006).

Existing police pay, conditions, allowances, accommodation and hours of duty

undermine professionalism, foster corruption and damage attempts to improve efficiency.

The complex tasks, longer working hours and hazardous working conditions of police are

very different to other public servants and go unacknowledged by Government. This

phenomenon is a breeding ground for corruption by police officers exists. Other

consequences of job dissatisfaction are: morale is adversely impacted; work quality is

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reduced; livelihood security of individual police officers is adversely affected

(www.prp.org.bd/NeedAssessment/Problem Summary- Annex B.htm2007).

Objectives of the study

The purpose of this study is to understand the state of job satisfaction of police and

examine the relationship between various organizational, behavioral, social

characteristics and job satisfaction among line officers in Bangladesh police.

The principal objectives of the present study are to:

i. identify the factors of job satisfaction of Bangladesh Police;ii. analyze the degree of effects of different variables on job satisfaction;

iii. measure job satisfaction level of Bangladesh Police;

iv. describe the variation of job satisfaction in respect of place, time, religion, sex,

etc.;

v. explore on appropriate recommendations on the basis of research findings.

Significance of the study

Employees who are more than just satisfied and are happy at work tend to be very

productive in service (Cote 1999). Job satisfaction improves the performance of

organization in the following ways (Anastasi 1987).

i. Reducing employee turnover the rate at which employees quit and seek new jobs.ii. Reducing absenteeism the frequency with which employees fail to show up for

work.

iii. Improving relations between labor and management.iv. Improving the ability of organizations to recruit good employees.v. Improving the reputation that employees give to an organization by what they say

about in the community.

It is necessary for police officers to be satisfied with their jobs for at least two reasons.

First, satisfied officers may be more likely to go the extra mile for their organization as

well as for serving people. These activities contribute to and are necessary for

organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and gaining a competitive advantage. Second,

job satisfaction may improve police officers perception of improved life by promoting

happiness. This may reduce stress, corruption, misbehavior (e.g., brutality) and other

likely obstacles for better service.

Methods of the study

ParticipantsTangail district was selected as the study area which is, geographically, situated at the

center of Bangladesh. Among the respondents, most of the police personnel occupied

rank below of ASP, since those lower rank officers actually shape the police performance

4
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and image. In the present study, officers below the rank of ASP, including Inspector,

Sub-inspector, Assistant Sub-inspector and Constables, were selected to form sample

size.

Apparatus

Variables (about 15 variables) have been used in the present study within a theoretical

framework which built up the premise for measuring job satisfaction of police. It is

preferable to systemize and set out those positions at the beginning (Baker 1999). The

present study used the theory of Abraham Maslow who proposed that all people seek to

satisfy five basic kinds of needs: physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs,

esteem needs, and self-actualization needs (Maslow 1954). The variables derived for the

present study are: use of skill, social respect, fair promotion, decision-making, positive

supervision, logistical support, cooperation from colleagues, external inspiration, proud-feelings, job stress, job affecting family life, job environment, job security, opportunity

for promotion, and salary. Weights were assigned against each variable, according to

Likert scale, on the basis of strength and cohesiveness of response.

Procedure

This study is a cross-sectional study, indeed, and descriptive in nature. Data gatheredfrom questionnaire method formed the data-set of the study from police officers working

below the rank of ASP. Though Tangail district was selected through purposive

sampling, four police stations among eleven composing Tangail districts were selected

through random process. Some sort of data was collected in field level from officers at

work. Respondents were selected on the process of convenience or accidental sampling.

The total sample size was 150 (one hundred and fifty). Likert scale with specific values

against each variable was used. In processing stage, the quantification of qualitative data

was completed. Several levels of statistical analyses are performed in conductinganalysis. Frequency tables (i.e. frequency distribution, central tendency) were made for

univariate analysis. Bivariate (cross-tabulation and correlation) and multivariate (path

analysis) analyses were used to see the relation among the variables. All these analyseswere performed by using SPSS program.Results

01. Demographic characteristics of respondents

Most of the respondents, in respect of age, belonged from a range of 26 to 30 years. The

average age of the respondents was 38.81 years. About 46.0% respondents had only a

secondary degree. There were also 22.7% respondents having junior secondary

certificate. About 82.7% respondents noticed that they were got married. About 55.4%

respondents had 4 to 5 family members. This indicates that police as a government

employee were aware about having few children in their families.

02. Job description

Constables occupied about 76.0% of the total number of respondents. Assistant sub-

inspector, sub-inspectors and inspectors also comprised as to 12.7%, 8.0% and 3.3%

successively. As the lower rank officers are called the street level bureaucrats (Lipsky

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1968), they usually shape the overall police image. For the improvement of police service

and of police performance, their mental states related to satisfaction are needed to study

first. Most of the respondents (about 20.0%) served in police service for 6 to 10 years.The average working hour a police officer needs to serve in his/her jobs is 16.71 hour per

day. About 60.0% police officers had to serve 15 to 17 hours a day. Even, there were29.33% respondents who used to active at work for more than 18 hours a day. From this

value, we get another clear calculation that police have to work 16 days a week in respect

of standard working hour.

03. Job satisfaction

Job satisfaction of lower ranked police officers was 0.47 (in a scale ranges from 0.0 to

1.0). This value is obtained from calculation of 15 different variables (table 3.1)through the process of quantification of qualitative data. Here,fstands for the number of

respondents.

Table 3.1: Measure of job satisfaction.

Positive

perceptions

Always Often Sometimes Hardly Never Total

Value (% 1.0) (% .75) (% .50) (% .25) (% 0.0)

Use of skilland expertise

in service

f 14 8 38 67 23 150

Percent 9.3% 5.3% 25.3% 44.7% 15.3% 100.0%

Value 9.3 3.97 12.65 11.17 0.00 37.09

Socialrespect

f 47 21 55 23 4 150

Percent 31.3% 14.0% 36.7% 15.3% 2.7% 100.0%

Value 31.3 10.50 18.35 3.83 0.00 63.98

Fairpromotion

f 25 24 45 33 23 150

Percent 16.7% 16.0% 30.0% 22.0% 15.3% 100.0%

Value 16.7 12.0 15.0 5.5 0.0 49.2Freedom indecision-making

f 4 18 20 67 41 150

Percent 2.7% 12.0% 13.3% 44.7% 27.3% 100.0%

Value 2.7 9.0 6.65 11.18 0.00 29.53

Supervisionfor

betterment ofstaffs

f 39 27 41 35 8 150

Percent 26.0% 18.0% 27.3% 23.3% 5.3% 100.0%

Value26.0

13.5 13.655.83

0.00 58.98

Logisticalsupport for

performingjob

f 8 10 34 87 11 150

Percent 5.3% 6.7% 22.7% 58.0% 7.3% 100.0%

Value5.3

5.03 11.3514.5

0.00 36.18

Getting helpfrom

colleagues

f 36 44 33 32 5 150

Percent 24.0% 29.3% 22.0% 21.3% 3.3% 100.0%

Value 24.0 21.98 11.0 5.33 0.00 62.31

Inspiration

from others

f 48 36 42 20 4 150

Percent 32.0% 24.0% 28.0% 13.3% 2.7% 100.0%

Value 32.0 18.0 14.0 3.33 0.00 67.33

Proud feeling f 115 9 20 2 4 150

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about policejob

Percent 76.7% 6.0% 13.3% 1.3% 2.7% 100.0%

Value 76.7 4.5 6.65 .33 0.00 88.18

Negative

perceptions

Value (% 0.0) (% .25) (% .50) (% .75) (% 1.0)

Job stressf 44 38 29 22 17 150

Percent 29.3% 25.3% 19.3% 14.7% 11.3% 100.0%

Value 0.00 6.33 9.65 11.03 11.30 38.31

Serviceaffecting

family life

f 64 31 28 12 15 150

Percent 42.7% 20.7% 18.7% 8.0% 10.0% 100.0%

Value0.00

5.18 9.356.0 10.0

30.53

Job related

perceptions

Very good Good Neither good

nor bad

Poor Very

poor

Total

Value (% 1.0) (% .75) (% .50) (% .25) (% 0.0)

Job

environment

f 6 46 68 4 26 150

Percent 4.0% 30.7% 45.3% 2.7% 17.3% 100.0%

Value4.0 23.03

22.650.63

0.00 50.31

Opportunityfor

promotion

f 2 20 62 12 54 150

Percent 1.3% 13.3% 41.3% 8.0% 36.0% 100.0%

Value 1.3 9.98 20.65 2.0 0.00 33.93

Job securityf 18 44 68 8 12 150

Percent 12.0 29.3% 45.3% 5.3% 8.0% 100.0%

Value 12.0 21.98 22.65 1.33 0.00 57.96

Salaryf 00 04 00 00 146 150

Percent 0.0% 2.7% 0.0% 0.0% 97.3% 100%

Value 0.0 2.03 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.03

37.1+64.0+49.2+29.5+ 59.0 + 36.2 + 62.3 + 67.3+ 88.2+ 38.3 + 30.5

+ 50.3 +33.9 +57.9+ 2.0

Job satisfaction =

15= 47.02 (in 100 scale) = .47 (in 1 scale)

The following figure represents the affiliation of job satisfaction with different single

variables separately.

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Fig. 3.1. Contributory influence on job satisfaction by individual variable.

The perceived level of job satisfaction through direct questions was 0.48 (Table 3.2).

Table 3.2. Perceived Job satisfaction of the respondents.

Perceived opinion Number of

respondents

Percentage Value

(percent weight)

Very satisfied (weight = 1.0) 05 3.3 3.3

Satisfied (weight = .75) 49 32.7 24.5

Not unsatisfied (weight = .50) 37 24.7 12.3Unsatisfied (weight = .25) 48 32.0 8.0

Very unsatisfied (weight = 0.0) 6 4.0 0.0

Total 150 100.0 48.1

Therefore,

Calculated job satisfaction = 47.02 (in 100 scale) = 0.47 (in 1 scale)

Perceived job satisfaction = 48 (in 100 scale) = 0.48 (in 1 scale)

As both results approximately resemble together, the reliability of this job satisfaction

level is highly significant. At the same time, it is appeared that job satisfaction of

Bangladesh police remains in medium level.

Interpretations of variables relating to job satisfaction (table 3.1)

Use of skill and expertise in service:

In police job, officers hardly can use their skills and expertise in their service. In most

cases (about 44.7%), they think they have abilities to contribute in the department.

However, they were not allowed or expected to use their capabilities and skills. Thus,

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Bangladesh Police does not benefit from the experience of skilled police officers who

have academic qualifications and experience in operational duties. This phenomenon of

not using skills and expertness make negative impact on the self-esteem of the policeofficers. Self-esteem is very much vital for higher level of productivity, service and also

for job satisfaction. Officers with high self-esteem believe that they are competent,deserving, and capable of handling most situations (Brockner 1988). Since most of the

respondents (from cumulative percent, about 60%) cannot use their capabilities, they

deprive from developing confidence; and consequently, self-esteem would be decreased.

This psychological deprivation of self-esteem has reverse impact on their satisfaction

with their jobs. This variable affects heavily on the job satisfaction of police.

Having respect from others

About 31.3% respondents always and 36.7 percent respondents sometimes get respect

from general people. Though it is not clear whether people respect police in fear or real,

this high frequency of respect from people make police officers satisfied much with theirduties. Public respect to police shape self-image of police and also their behavior in

consequence. Desire for recognition is a usual desire of every people. Since this desire

fulfills, police become satisfied. On the contrary, if police are not appraised for their

activities in both media and public, dissatisfaction may arise.

Fair and unbiased promotion

About 30 percent respondents believe that sometimes there may happen fair and unbiased

promotion schemes. Unfortunately, about 37.3 percent respondents think that fair and

unbiased promotion never or hardly happens. Only 16.7 percent respondents agreed with

the fact that there is always fair promotional scheme within the department. Unfair andbiased evaluation deprives qualified officers from promotion. Existence of unfair or

biased means in case of promotion discourages police personnel to work at maximum

level. Consequently, police personnel become corrupted or seek political patronage interms of getting promotion which undermines professionalism in police service. In

promotion on performance, though competitive attitude develops, satisfaction appears

among police officers. It affects on satisfaction of police job among police personnel.

Freedom in decision-making in service

In Bangladesh Police, a total of 72% of police (27.3% never; 44.7% hardly) have littleautonomy for decision making. Street level officers hardly decide on matters to do their

job and attain organizational goals in their own ways because of over controlled

centralization. Decision-making is the process by which police officers respond to the

opportunities and threats that confront them by analyzing the options and making

decisions about specific organizational goals and courses of actions. It is common that an

individuals decision make him accountable for the best course of action in his own job.With a lower level of satisfaction with decision making and with the job, this

phenomenon inspires them to be unaccountable to themselves as well as the department

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for attaining organizational goals of keeping peace, ensuring security and public safety

within the community.

Awareness of senior officers for betterment of staffs

Awareness of senior officers for betterment of their subordinates has influence on the job

satisfaction of subordinate staffs. It is found that about 71.3% respondents satisfied with

the matter that their supervisory officers keep a kind eye on them for their betterment andto reduce their sufferings, though in most cases supervisors have very limited power to

make better for subordinate police staffs. Police work with high level of stress and

tension that require such type of behaviors to their subordinates. As most of the

respondents satisfy to their supervisory officers, it influences them to be satisfied in their

job.

Proud feeling by the respondents

About 76.7 percent respondents felt proud for their work of public safety. This proud-feeling bring confidence among police officers and internally meet up their instinctual

desire of satisfaction.

Service affecting family life

The nature of police job in Bangladesh always affected 42.7 percent police personnel in

their family life. Even from cumulative percentage we found that about 63.4 percent

respondents always and often suffered in family life in greater extent. People got

themselves in service or job to serve their family, for a better and decent life. If the

ongoing job affects on family or personal life, it is enough to make officers dissatisfied

and unhappy. Negative impact of job on family life creates panic and stress which

decreases efficiency and performance too.

Logistical support for completing job

About 58.0 percent respondents hardly find necessary logistical support for operation.There are also 7.3 percent respondents who reportedly never get logistical support at

work. It is quite impossible to perform in a job to serve people and to achieve

organizational goals. The insufficiency of logistical support makes police officers very

dissatisfied with the department. This finding of inadequacy of logistical support is also

supported by other research findings conducted on police life (TIB 2004). In Bangladesh,

especially lower rank police personnel confront many operational problems of working

room, conference room for meeting, prison vans, malkhanas (stores), toilet facilities,

patrol cars, furniture, arms and ammunition, etc.

Getting help from colleagues

About 29.3 percent respondents often get helps from the colleagues for performing

operations. It is also significant that a total of about 53.3 percent respondents always or

often get helps from others in their jobs. Police personnel constitute special kind of

group, i.e., friendship group rather than interest group. It can help police to solve work-

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related problems because members of these groups typically discuss work-related matters

and offer advice, help and cooperation. Friendship groups help satisfy police officers

need for interpersonal interaction, can provide needed social support in times of stress,and can contribute to people feeling good at work and satisfied with their jobs. Mutual

cooperation also helps police officers innovative. It may be thought that cooperationamong officers helps the department to its duties to be done though having very

inadequate resources and heavy confrontation with obstacles.

Inspiration from others

Most of the respondents (about 32%) get inspiration from others. It is also very

significant that about 56.0% respondents receive always or often appraisal or inspiration

from their surrounding environment. This inspiration makes them feel better and satisfied

with their jobs. This topic or variable includes recognition, inspiration, appraisal,

feedback, and the like. Though appraisal from others (peers, colleagues, clients) is

subjective to nature, it contributes to the individuals psychological state of happiness andsatisfaction. Moreover, according to McClellends need theory, the need for affiliation

may be achieved through the inspirations from others. The need for affiliation is the

extent to which an individual is concerned about establishing and maintaining good

interpersonal relations, being liked, and having other people around them get along with

each other (McClelland 1985).

Experiencing suffering due to service

About 29.3 percent respondents always suffered from various stress and pain in their job.

From cumulative frequency (always and often), it is found that about 54.6 percent

respondents experienced heavy stressful conditions in police work. It is well establishedissue that police job is one of the most stressful jobs among all others. However, there is

no specialized unit or mechanism to reduce stress for police officers in Bangladesh.

Stress and suffering does not make psychological state of police to be remained stableand serve with good manner. It drains into other unfavorable and unexpected mental

condition (internal) and service (external). These endeavors result shaping negative and

brutal images of police. Government tries to implement various strategies to improve

police image and service. But there are little efforts to reduce officers pain, suffering and

stress. If they face unfavorable situation, there psychological state will not allow them tobehave with smile and friendliness.

Job environment

The present study reveals that about 45.3 percent respondents have environment

surrounding them in their job were neither good nor poor. About 17.3 percent police

officers respond that their working environment was very poor. With keeping them with

such a job environment it is truly difficult to provide better service to people. A service-

oriented job like policing needs improved working environment. This kind of poorenvironment creates monotony not only for police personnel but also general people

going to police and seeking help from police. In such a situation, it may be said thatpolice officers, who are responsible to uphold the human rights of public, are deprived

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from their basic rights and fundamental needs. Their job environment, in many cases,

does not meet up the minimum standards of living.

Opportunity for promotion

About 41.3 percent respondents perceived that the opportunity for promotion from one

rank to a superior one is neither good nor bad in the police service. At the same time,

about 36.0 percent respondents thought that the promotional prospects for them are poor.There are three tire recruitment schemes in police services where it is difficult for lower

rack officers to catch a superior one due to initial difference during commencement of

job. Because of this limited or little opportunity for promotion, dissatisfaction arises

among the police officers. As the present study encompasses the officers belonging

below inspector ranks, they have limited opportunity for promotion than an officer

entering through the rank of ASP. Because of historical processes of lateral entry at ASP

level is blocking promotion of all but 33% from SI/Inspector level. There is no clear

promotion policy in police department for constables specifically. Lengthy stays(regularly 18 - 20 years) at one rank in lower levels breeds inefficiency and corruption

and drives down performance and morale (http://www.prp.org.bd/NeedAssessment/Problem

Summary- AnnexB.htm2007).

Job security in police service

About 45.3 percent respondents felt as to their job security moderately, i.e., neither good

nor bad. At the same time, from cumulative percentage (very good and good), about 41.3

percent respondents responded affirmatively to the security of their jobs. These reveal

that the job security in police job is not bad, rather it is relatively good. Though there

exists an acute allegation of misconduct and deviance against police, they are not anxiousabout their jobs. However, in some cases, police officers are fired or suspended, this

process usually politicized. Thus job security brings satisfaction to the officers ultimately.

Satisfaction about job security makes them active to their performances, commitment andoperations.Salary for maintaining family

Salary as well as remuneration given in police service is very much insufficient to

officers to maintaining their family expenses. About 97.3 percent respondents reported

that they failed to maintain their family expenses with their concerning salary structure.

People satisfy themselves with resources which are obtained from salary. As salary

provided to police personnel is very insufficient to about 97.3 percent respondents, it isusual to be very much dissatisfied with their job in terms of salary. Theories of job

satisfaction suggest that pay should be based on duties and performance. Police perform

tasks which are large in scope. They also serve an average of 16.71 hours per day in their

jobs. Their activities desire or expect a decent salary by which they can bear their family

responsibilities. Insufficient salary has some sort of external effects, like corruption,

deviance, and the like.

04. Distribution of job satisfaction

4.1. Spatial distribution of job satisfaction of police:

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Job satisfaction level increased as we forward to more urbanized area. (Figure 4.1).

Urban areas provide more life-supporting materials to develop life style and to enhance

life chances. Fundamental needs of human being are become available in urban areaswith well-equipped manner. For this, police personnel of urban areas are more satisfied

than a rural one.

Urban Rural

Fig. 4.1. Distribution of job satisfaction level of police among study area.

4.2. Rank structure and job satisfaction:Inspectors and Assistant Sub-inspectors were most satisfied officers respectively among

the respondents (Table 4.1). Among the officers having main consideration, there are

two recruiting entry, i.e., constable and sub-inspector. There are no direct recruiting posts

for ASIs and Inspectors. ASIs and Inspectors are only appeared when some officers get

promotion from their former lower ranks. So we can reveal that officers who got

promotion are more satisfied than others.

Table 4.2. Rank structure and job satisfaction.

Rank of the respondents Level of job satisfaction of police

Maximum Average Minimum

Constable .92 .46 .18

Assistant Sub-inspector(ASI)

.68 .53 .40

Sub-inspector (SI) .55 .36 .18

Inspector .67 .63 .53

4.3. Education and job satisfaction:Officers with Higher Secondary Certificate are most satisfied with their jobs than others.

Junior secondary educated personnel were also much satisfied in comparison (Table

4.2). In Bangladesh, unemployment rate is much higher. In such a circumstance, it makes

police with lower education to hire or manage a powerful job like police.

Table 4.3. Educational qualification and job satisfaction.

Education of the

respondents

Level of job satisfaction of police


Junior secondary .92 .49 .23

Secondary .68 .44 .18

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Tangail Sadar Modhupur Delduar Kalihati.

5

7

7

.

5

4

.

3

8

.

3

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Higher secondary .70 .54 .38

Honors .68 .48 .18

Masters .67 .45 .27

4.4. Gender and job satisfaction:

In respect of gender, females were more satisfied than their male counterparts. (Table

4.4).

Table 4.4. Gender differences and job satisfaction.

Gender of the

respondents



Male .92 .46 .18

Female .65 .60 .55

4.5. Religion and job satisfaction in police services:

Hindus were more satisfied than Muslims. (Table 4.5). Minority groups are usually become deprived in many respects. Since having police jobs, Hindus become more

satisfied.

Table 4.5. Religious values and job satisfaction.

Religion of the

respondents



Muslim .92 .46 .18

Hindu .67 .50 .37

05. Influential factors behind job satisfaction

Ratings on the job satisfaction variables were correlated with individual level of

satisfaction. These results indicated that overall job satisfaction was most strongly

related to the perceived characteristics of the organization as a whole (i.e. whether thepolice 'looked after' its employees), and the related issues e.g., salaries. (Figure 5.1).

Their satisfaction of jobs is mostly correlated with cooperation from colleagues (parsonsr =.78), inspiration and appraisal from others (r = .73), supervisors willingness of

welfare for subordinates (r= .71). On the other hand, respondents satisfaction level is

correlated in least condition with logistical support (r= .40), salary (r= .39), decision-

making ability (r= .38), opportunity for using skills (r= .38), job environment (r= .36).

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Fig. 5.1. Correlation coefficient for different variable with calculated individual job

satisfaction level (in 1 scale).

06. Multivariate analysis

Path diagram (Figure 6.1) is made from regression of variables. The arrow signindicates the direction of causality to dependent variable. The width of the arrows

indicates the strength of the relation between the variables and also that whether as it

positive or negative. Though education and rank has a direct positive impact on rank and

job satisfaction successively, education has a slightly negative impact on job satisfaction.

.21

.72

.13

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Rank

Individual Jobsatisfaction


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Fig. 6.1. Path diagram.

Summary

The majority of police officers enter the police department at the rank of Constable. This

results in performance of police only by the acts of constables, as well as other field level

officers. Only non-cadre officers are included in this study who actually works in the root

level of the community. As the lower rank officers are called the street level bureaucrats(Lipsky 1968), they usually shape the overall police image. For the improvement of

police service and of police performance, their mental states related to satisfaction are

needed to study first.

Among the respondents difference in the distribution of ranks is existed, i.e., constable,

ASI, SI, and Inspector. Distribution of ranks in this study is taken on the basis of

variation and proportion of ranks and manpower within the organization

(www.police.gov.bd).

One hundred and fifty (150) Bangladeshi police officers (PRB 1943) participated in thestudy (mean age 38.81 years, range 22 to 57). All participants were currently working in

the jurisdiction of Tangail district area from the police station bases (e.g., Tangail Sadar,

Modhupur, Delduar, Kalihati) and from field level under an umbrella command of Police

Department of Bangladesh. Participation was voluntary. The majority (146) were male,

with only 04 female participants. Respondents from all probable age were counted in this

study. The normal curve indicates that age of respondents is normally distributed. Only16.0% respondents were unmarried. Most of the respondent had only a secondary

education (46.0%).Subsequent analyses were undertaken using statistical procedures to examine different

variables in association to job satisfaction. The calculated level of job satisfaction of

police is .47 (in a range from 0 to 1). This calculation is obtained by given weight

(Thurstone scaling) distributed within the Likerts scale. The perceived job satisfaction

level found from the voluntary responses of the respondents is .48 (in a range from 0 to

1). This shows strong reliability among the results.

The present study is worked with the calculated value of job satisfaction.The rating among variables is the highest in the fact that most of the respondents feel

proud about their job in police service (score: 88.2). Ratings on the job satisfactionvariables were correlated with individual level of satisfaction. These results indicated that

overall job satisfaction was most strongly related to the perceived characteristics of the

organisation as a whole (i.e. whether the police 'looked after' its employees), and the

related issues e.g., salaries. Their satisfaction of jobs is mostly correlated with

cooperation from colleagues (parsons r=.78), inspiration and appraisal from others (r= .

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73), supervisors willingness of welfare for subordinates (r = .71). On the other hand,

respondents satisfaction level is correlated in least condition with logistical support (r= .

40), salary (r= .39), decision-making ability (r= .38), opportunity for using skills (r= .38), job environment (r= .36).

Though it is evident that job satisfaction of police varies in terms of place, gender,

education, religion, and other factors; however job satisfaction of police in Bangladesh is

not satisfactory enough to serve the community at their heartiest concern as a whole.

Conclusion

In any incident of crime or issue related to the question of security, people have no

alternative but to seek the help of police. Though unwilling, people must to confront of

police in a welfare state to ensure public safety. Police are not alien but a noble memberof society. It is usual that police will serve well, if they feel well. Keeping them in a state

of dissatisfaction, expectation for better service is unwise. The present study reveals withthese core issues of job satisfaction of police. The picture of Bangladesh regarding to job

satisfaction of police is not good enough.

Existing police pay, conditions, allowances, accommodation and hours of duty

undermine professionalism, foster corruption and damage attempts to improve efficiency.

The complex tasks, longer working hours and hazardous working conditions of police arevery different to other public servants and goes unacknowledged by Government. This

phenomenon is a breeding ground for corruption by police officers exists. Otherconsequences of job dissatisfaction are: morale is adversely impacted; work quality is

reduced; livelihood security of individual police officers is adversely affected

(www.prp.org.bd/NeedAssessment/Problem Summary- Annex B.htm2007).

In order to get better performance from police and, at the same time, honor them as theguardian of safe and secured society, emphases need to be done on the issue of job

satisfaction of police.

Recommendations

Job satisfaction has an affirmative effect on the performance of the organization as a

whole (Ostroff 1992). The goal of improving job satisfaction and productivity in servicecan be met in two principal ways (Lahey 2004). One is to use methods of employee

selection to match the right person with the right job. The other way is to improve

working conditions and facilities including the ways in which employees are managed

and supervised. Here, the latter way is recommended to apply for improving job

satisfaction for Bangladesh Police. It is recognized that a good working environment

and working condition improve job satisfaction and productivity as well.

The following issues are suggested to improvement for enhancing job satisfaction ofBangladesh Police personnel:

Logistical support for performing jobs, and resources should be properlyallocated to the police officers.

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Workload of police officers needs to be reduced to a tolerable level.

Opportunity for recreation and leisure should be managed.

Salary and pay should be increased for a decent and humane living for the police

officers.

Promotion should be offered only on the basis of performance.

Working or job environment should be improved.

Media should not represent only the negative image of police officers. Their

good and positive activities in controlling crime need to be highlighted.

Laws and regulations regarding police life should be updated.

More research activities should be undertaken relating to the issue of police life

and activites and so on.

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