The situation with Officer Clark presents a substantial issue for the department, its employees, and the district and jeopardizes the safety of its citizens. Considering the indifferent position of the supervisor in charge and the previous threats made by Clark towards management and potential legal action, it is imperative to document all evidence regarding his performance and report falsification. As the first-line supervisor, I am obliged to communicate the existing problem and act immediately to prevent the situation from escalating and impacting third parties further (Miller et al., 2020). I believe Officer Clark is unlikely to respond in the desired manner to positive and progressive discipline (Miller et al., 2020). The best route would be to issue formal warnings to the officer, supported by documentation of his transgressions that could help during litigation (Miller et al., 2020). If the behavior persists, suspension, demotion, and discharge should be considered as further steps.
Positive relationships of employees with supervisors are crucial for any workplace as they can translate into improved job satisfaction and performance. First-line supervisors should foster positive and understanding relationships with their subordinates to boost productivity and gratification from service. In my opinion, the key to strengthening the positive relationship with subordinate officers lies in being open and respectful towards them. In addition, the responsibility for errors should always lie on me, as the first-line supervisor, rather than the subordinates (Miller et al., 2020). Employees should be treated fairly and without judgment, with their successes being noted and appreciated (Miller et al., 2020). However, the subordinate officers should not be criticized for their mistakes to the point they cannot admit to them. Errors are to be discussed and analyzed to prevent their repetition, with such a discussion steering clear of the character of the employee being decried.
Reference
Miller, L. S., More, H. W., & Braswell, M. C. (2020). Effective police supervision (9th ed.). Taylor & Francis.