to all other methods of organizing with respect to efficiency , control , and stability . 26 With some added commentary , Weber ’ s pure bureaucratic model of organizational structure included the following characteristics : 1 . The organization of offices follows the principle of hierarchy ; that is , each lower office is under the control and supervision of a higher one . This arrangement of successively higher offices creates ― layers ‖ in a police department ; the greater the number of layers , the more vertical complexity a department has . Hierarchy also provides the ― vertical highways ‖ that establish reporting relationships , as well as formal communication channels . 2 . There is a right of appeal and of statement of grievances from the lower to the higher offices . 3 . Specified areas of competence , meaning a division of labor , exist . This division of labor or specialization increases the width and horizontal complexity of law enforcement agencies . The greater the amount of specialization in organizations , the more organizations grow vertically to have the ability to coordinate the different units . 4 . Official duties are bound by a system of rational rules , such as policies and procedures . 5 . Administrative acts , decisions , and rules are recorded in writing , creating an institutional memory . 6 . The authority associated with a position is the property of the office or job and not of the occupant of the position . 7 . Employees are appointed on the basis of qualifications , and specialized training is necessary . 8 . Organizational members do not own it . 27 Although not all the characteristics of Weber ’ s bureaucratic model can be revealed by an organizational chart , Figure 5.5 does depict two important features : ( 1 ) the principle of hierarchy and ( 2 ) a division of labor that results in specialization . Weber ’ s bureaucratic model rested on what he called rational-legal authority . 28 In a police context , rational legal authority rests on the legal basis for the existence of the department . Authority is granted to positions within the organization , such as sergeants , lieutenants , and captains , who use that authority to fulfill their responsibilities and to