Part-Time Leadership in the Baden-Württemberg Police Force

A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Similarly to changes in the social work environment, the police force is faced with the request of its police officers to improve the combination of work and family life. This is accompanied by the request to take a family break or the request to work part-time. This study analyses the question of whether the existing frameworks are useful to the police of Baden-Württemberg in Germany to successfully implement part-time leadership positions. This was done by a qualitative semi-structured interview study. The sample included six experts from Lower-Saxony interviewed about their experience in part-time leadership at their police force, where part-time arrangements in leadership positions are already systematically organised. The sample also included six experts from Baden-Württemberg where systematic implementation does not yet exist. The current stage of development of part-time leadership is described and recommendations are given for successfully developing this instrument as a positive and reasonable way to accomodate personal or family needs with career and work life in the police.