




































AGORA International Journal of Economical Sciences, http://univagora.ro/jour/index.php/aijes 

ISSN 2067-3310, E-ISSN 2067-7669 

Vol. 18, No. 1 (2024), pp. 275-289 

 

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COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT IN IPJ X 

 

D. FOFIU 

 

Daniel Fofiu 

Faculty of Economic Sciences, Agora University of Oradea, Romania 

E-mail: fofiudan@gmail.com  

 

Abstract: Optimal communication of the system reveals its advantages also within the 

Romanian Police. The work of a policeman is based on my own knowledge and communication 

skills and now that I work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I noticed that this opinion has 

been substantiated and even emphasized. One thing is certain: being part of a law enforcement 

body is not easy. The criminal environment is highly dangerous and most criminals want to 

escape impediments that place them outside the limits imposed by law. The policeman is in the 

crosshairs of the offender. Taking into account all these aspects, the policeman must be in 

continuous communication, collaboration with other colleagues and develop various methods 

of identifying those who commit antisocial acts. The greater number of law enforcement teams 

can lead to deterrence for criminals. Working in the system, I can say that the optimization of 

the communication process is permanently targeted by police officers and, as a result, many 

cases can be solved. 

Keywords: communication, conflict, policeman, management. 

 

Introduction   

 Inherently, conflict is also a common factor in today's society. Looking around us, we 

can notice numerous divergences between different groups of people, between different 

individuals, nations. The sources generating conflicts are of the most diverse: the desire for 

power, supremacy, prejudices, different perspectives on an issue, etc. Conflict is inevitable, 

but, managed correctly, it can lead to the resolution of many problems.  

 

 1. The role of communication and conflict in maximizing performance  

1.1. Communication and conflict. Theoretical considerations 

As for the communication process, it has received several definitions in doctrine. We 

rally with Mckay M.'s view as a foundation of life, a source of happiness, fulfilment, and 

satisfaction; Only through communication, he believed, can people gain trust in other people 

(Florea, 2017:10). Another definition of communication that we want to present in the 

preamble of this work, belongs to D.R., according to which communication is something 

omnipresent, something that is always near us and in us. Through it, we convey not only words, 

but also stimuli or actions.  

 One of the definitions of conflict that stood out was that formulated by Michael Brecher. 

He considered conflict as a hostile confrontation that extends over a longer or shorter period of 

time, considering conflict not as something static, linear, but as a dramatic phenomenon, with 

multiple valences in intensity and frequency. Conflict is a process, not a specific event (Brecher 

et al., 2000:3). 

mailto:fofiudan@gmail.com


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 1.2. The motivation-performance relationship in modern management 

 Motivation is the force that pushes a person towards a certain ideal, a goal, it is that 

intrinsic element that opens the way to the satisfaction given by the fulfilment of a dream, 

aspiration, desire. Over time, several theories of motivation have been created. Most of these 

theories have pointed out that people, regardless of status, ethnicity, gender, etc., have a certain 

scale of needs. These needs, however, are not the same for all people, but are different from 

individual to individual. This difference is normal and is determined by several conditions. 

Among these conditions we mention: the environment in which the individual lived or heredity 

(the spiritual and inner inclinations of the individual, unlike the external aspects, are not given 

by heredity but by the environment, the entourage that man had around him); Education; 

personal conception of the person (the individual's ability to make an introspection, an analysis 

on his skills, on his capabilities, on the qualities and defects he has) ; life experience, etc. 

(Petrișor-Mateuț, 2019). All these factors play an important role in determining the needs of 

some people. In any organization, success depends on the quality of people. In order to increase 

their performance, companies adopt two different models of action. Some of them focus mainly 

on the material, external side of things, while others focus on people's principles, their way of 

thinking. The first category includes actions such as financial reward, control of the employee 

and the application of sanctions when he does not perform a task correctly. In the second 

category, managers make an analysis on the way of "being" of the people they subordinate, on 

the way of thinking, on their principles. Following this analysis, actions will be taken to 

strengthen, modify or discourage certain employee precepts in order to reach the desired goal: 

the benefit and development of the company. 

 Performance is an element that is closely related to success. In order to achieve a 

coveted result in a field, some effort must be made and the individual must prove, among other 

things, seriousness and professionalism. If we were to summarize all these aspects, we could 

say that the individual, in order to achieve his goals, must aim for performance. This means 

that he must have a well-organized schedule, be determined when he starts a ministry, and not 

give up when things do not go as he anticipated. In terms of types of performance, the doctrine 

refers to three types: psychic performance, physical performance, and psychophysical 

performance. Psychic performance takes into account certain objective physical valences such 

as metabolism or biorhythmic state. This type of performance can in turn be of two types: 

intellectual dominant, in which reason has the last word and nothing triumphs over it, or 

emotional dominant. The latter takes into account feelings, momentary states, which play a 

particularly important role in making decisions, lifestyles. Psychophysical performance is that 

type of performance in which it is not possible to establish which is more dominant: the 

physical side or the psychic side (Petrișor-Mateuț, 2019).  

We believe that the performance of an individual is closely related to the performance 

of a group. Any project of a certain value, any more expensive work requires teamwork, 

requires a group of people working together, supporting each other, to reach the intended goal. 

Whether we are talking about private companies or state institutions, it is easy to see how a 

man's negligence can affect the entire work and all the work of his colleagues. In the Police, 

for example, it is enough for a policeman to slander the name of the Romanian Police by 

committing a crime, so that all the hard work done by his other colleagues to make this society 



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a safer place is forgotten and blamed. 

 As for human performance factors, they can be internal or external. The internal ones 

can be genetic, educational, training, etc., and the external ones can be informational-

instructive and educational, which refers mainly to school and family, and technical-

organizational and psychosocial, which refers to state structures and market economy (Petrișor-

Mateuț, 2019). 

 

1.3. The role of evaluation in maximising performance 

 In order for a company or state institution to develop and achieve success, a periodic 

performance evaluation is needed. This analysis involves an internal control within the ongoing 

activities, an analysis after which it can be known exactly what are the strengths and which are 

the weaknesses that need to be remedied.  

As any firm or any kind of institution is composed of many people, it is important to 

look at how to evaluate human resources. Thus, when assessing the performance of human 

resources, the evaluation of human potential and ability to evolve will be taken into account; 

behaviour evaluation and performance evaluation. The assessment of potential takes into 

account the establishment that a particular individual has an inclination towards the activity he 

carries out. This aspect must be established because only when he does what he likes, man can 

develop and reach great performances. The behaviour evaluation takes into account how the 

person treats the work they perform, the attention and meticulousness they give to the smallest 

details because, often, they make the difference. Last but not least, performance evaluation 

takes into account the results that the employee reaches as a result of his efforts. Following this 

analysis, depending on everything the employee has achieved, the director or the immediate 

boss can reach a conclusion either to keep the individual on the job or to move him to another 

activity he would be better at. As a result of all these controls, it will be possible to identify 

factors of progress and regression, a rational distribution of tasks, a better distribution of staff 

by posts, etc. 

 

2. Case study. Police Romanian.  

2.1. General characteristics: duties, significance, classification  

For the performance of his duties, especially to fight for the maintenance of a climate 

dominated by peace and security, the police officer shall be vested with state authority, with 

public authority, but only during and in connection with the performance of his duties, within 

the limits of the competences established by law. Law 360/2002 states in Article 2, paragraph 

2 that the authority of the policeman's office cannot be exercised in personal interest. If a police 

officer abdicates the rules laid down for the exercise of his office and acquires certain 

advantages by exercising the profession of policeman, he commits an offence. One of these 

offences to which I wish to refer is provided for in Article 295 of the Criminal Code, as 

subsequently amended and supplemented, which deals with embezzlement. Thus, Article 295, 

paragraph 1 provides that the appropriation, use or trafficking by a public official, for personal 

interest or for another, of money, benefits or goods he manages or administers is punishable by 

imprisonment from 2 to 7 years and the prohibition of the right to exercise a public office 

(Lupașcu, 2022).   

The police officer must exercise his professional activity and perform his duties for the 



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sole purpose of citizens, the community and in the interest of state institutions. In the exercise 

of his duties, the police officer must adopt an impartial, objective attitude, clearly analyse 

things and thus reach a correct conclusion in order to achieve justice. The welfare of the society 

to which he belongs must be the foundation of the individual's decision to become an organ of 

law. On the contrary, the policeman will not be able to prove fairness and verticality when he 

is offered, for example, a certain amount of money for non-fulfilment or defective performance 

of some job duties. 

The Law on the Status of Police Officers also outlines the grades in which police 

officers in both categories can fall. Thus, there are the following ranks: quaestor general of 

police; Chief Quaestor of Police; Chief Police Quaestor; police quaestor; Chief Commissioner 

of Police; Commissioner of Police; Deputy Commissioner of Police; Senior Police Inspector; 

police inspector; police sub-inspector. In the category with secondary education there are: chief 

police officer; chief police officer; Deputy Chief Police Officer; senior police officer; police 

officer (Law 360/2022 on the Status of the Policeman).  

All activity that is carried out by the Romanian Police must be based on: the principle 

of legality, the principle of liaison of police officers with citizens, the principle of cooperation 

in work between police formations, units and cadres, the principle of operability, the principle 

of finding out the truth, the principle of formality and the principle of the active role of police 

units (Constantin, 2014:13-14). 

From an organizational point of view, the Romanian Police includes: the General 

Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, territorial units subordinated to IGPR, DGPMB and 

county police inspectorates, educational institutions for the continuous training and training of 

police officers and other units necessary to fulfil specific police duties. 

There are forty-one county police inspectorates, corresponding to the number of 

counties in Romania. All these are subordinated to the General Inspectorate of the Romanian 

Police. The existence of a police inspectorate at the level of each county in Romania is 

necessary because, as I mentioned before, crime in Romania is gradually increasing. For 

example, on the official website of the General Directorate of Police of Bucharest, the crime 

coefficient in different sectors of the country's capital is presented. Thus, in sector 1, in 2020, 

the crime coefficient was 99.88%, in 2021 102.8%, and in 2022 112.58% (retrieved from: 

https://b.politiaromana.ro/ro/informatii-publice/coeficienti-de-criminalitate). 

A central management would not be able to cope with knowing the criminal situation 

and, above all, stopping and diminishing it. On the basis of all these considerations, there are 

forty-one police inspectorates which are intended to know several aspects of the territory over 

which they exercise jurisdiction. Thus, a well-trained policeman should know the territory in 

terms of extent and location, peculiarities of the geographical area, ways and means of 

transport, etc. Police officers also need to know the population in the county where they work. 

It should be known the structure of the population (number of inhabitants, their age, their 

occupation, etc.), the relationships between citizens, the customs that exist in the respective 

county. From a police point of view, the civil servant with special status will have to identify 

both persons likely to commit crimes and those who have committed crimes. Also, the 

policeman will have to identify people who can provide information of operational interest to 

prevent possible antisocial acts. Another particularly important aspect concerns the criminal 

situation. Criminal status means the total number of antisocial acts, contraventions or crimes 

https://b.politiaromana.ro/ro/informatii-publice/coeficienti-de-criminalitate


COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT IN IPJ X 

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that were committed in a certain place over a certain period of time. The police officer will 

have to pay special attention to the criminal status in order to know what type of crimes are 

consumed with predilection in his area of competence and thus create means by which to 

remove the conditions that favour the occurrence of antisocial acts. The police officer must 

also take into account events of any nature that are organized in the county. He will have to 

first inform himself about the nature of the event, about how such events took place in the past, 

about the pluses and minuses of police activities to maintain public order and safety, and 

finally, to take appropriate decisions to ensure a climate of tranquillity and peace during the 

event that will take place. Last but not least, the police's own forces and means will be taken 

into account. The number of staff, their professional training, their physical and mental 

strength, sources of information, etc. will be taken into account. 

By knowing all these details, the police will be able to ensure justice.  

The law enforcement body must be aware of everything that happens in its territory of 

competence, take note of everything that is happening and act promptly and operatively to stop 

crimes. Also, teamwork reveals once again its importance, the greatest achievements requiring 

cooperation between several structures or formations, being the result of actions of the 

communication process. 

 

3. The first pillar of the Romanian Police: Ethics 

  3.1. Code of ethics and deontology of police officers 

 We live in a world where the concepts of "good and evil" are losing more and more of 

their essence, acquiring an increasingly pronounced shade of grey. What We want to convey 

by this is that the good of one man can be the misfortune of another and vice versa. 

 The truth is that everyone has a different perspective on the universe. To one degree or 

another, the individual "falls prey" to the socio-political, cultural and economic context in 

which he is born. Great influences on the conception of life will also have family, friends, 

school and entourage. It is true that to one degree or another we all need the same elements to 

survive (oxygen, water, food, etc.), but we must recognize that beyond this core, we are much 

more complex than we imagine. On a more superficial level, as I pointed out earlier, we want 

different things.  

 If the definition of the notions of good and evil may differ from person to person in 

certain areas, within the Romanian Police things acquire a special simplicity in this respect due 

to the normative acts and not only, which draw a series of principles, rules governing the 

activity carried out by police officers. Within these normative acts we are presented, among 

others, the duties of the policeman, the conduct he must have in carrying out his duties, his 

rights and obligations, etc. Thus, an overview of what "good" means and what "evil" means, 

the good being seen in the form of how a law enforcement body must relate to society and its 

own duties, and evil being presented by what a policeman should not do. 

 Law nr. 218 of 23 April 2002 on the organization and functioning of the Romanian 

Police, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions, outlines a "good" to be 

achieved and maintained by police officers in the form of their duties. Thus, in Chapter 3, 

Article 26, we are presented with several main tasks: 

 Defending life, freedom of persons, 

 Protection of public and private property, fundamental rights of citizens, 



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 Application of measures necessary to maintain public order and security, 

 Preventing and combating crime, 

 Identifying and stopping elements that pose a danger to the life and integrity of persons 

and to public or private property, etc. 

From all this information, it is concluded what the concept of "good" refers to within the 

Romanian Police, namely the safety of citizens. Ensuring a climate of tranquillity and peace, 

in which all fundamental rights of the human being and of the citizen are respected, is the very 

goal that law enforcement bodies must achieve. In order to fulfil this desideratum, the 

policeman must prove maximum responsibility and attention in everything he does, to prioritize 

the welfare of society over his own well-being and comfort. 

The aforementioned law not only sets the standard to be achieved, but also provides the 

means by which it can be reached. Thus, in Article 31 of the same law, we are told that the 

police officer is vested with the exercise of public authority and thus: legitimizes and identifies 

persons, according to the legal provisions; leads persons whose identity could not be 

established at police headquarters; perform body control of persons and baggage check when 

there are serious indications that the person would hide objects prohibited by law; carry out 

raids when there are indications that a crime has been committed; carry the necessary weapons 

and ammunition, etc. 

Also, for drawing a difference between good and evil within the Romanian Police, 

another document has significant value. It is about the Code of ethics and deontology of the 

policeman, approved by Government Decision nr. 991 of 25.08.2005. Taking into account the 

significance of the Police within society, the legislator considered it appropriate to draw up a 

series of norms for the policeman to follow exactly, a scale of values or a set of precepts to 

govern the activity of law enforcement bodies. In any democratic state, bodies vested with the 

exercise of public authority must have a respectful and, why not, irreproachable conduct. These 

bodies must be an example of honesty, justice and fairness. Being under these attributes, police 

officers will have a greater credibility among society, they will be respected and honoured for 

the way they execute their activities. 

In its preamble, the Code outlines its purpose and refers to the main functions of the 

police. Thus, in Article 2, paragraph 1, we are informed that this code establishes a set of rules 

of conduct for the Romanian police officer. Any policeman must follow these rules with all his 

might. In order to prevent a possible abuse of power, the Code also refers in the same paragraph 

to the fact that any person may require the police officer to comply with the rules laid down in 

the Code. Thus, man is not encouraged to have a passive attitude when he encounters a law 

enforcement body that abuses his power, but on the contrary, he is encouraged to require the 

policeman to adopt a conduct worthy of his profession.  

The Code of Ethics and Deontology of the Police emphasizes the fact that police 

activity is a public service, all police missions being carried out in the interest of individuals 

and the community, as well as in support of state institutions, as provided in the international 

and domestic legislation applicable in the field. All the primary activities carried out by the 

Romanian Police perfectly fit the idea presented above. Protecting the rights and freedoms of 

individuals, defending public and private property, preventing and combating crime are the 

main functions of the police that are exercised in the interest of the community, of the state. 



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Article 6 sets out the principles governing the professional conduct of police officers. 

These are as follows: Legality, Equality, Transparency, 

Capacity and duty of expression, Availability, Priority of public interest, 

Professionalism, Confidentiality, Respect, Moral Integrity, 

Operational Independence, Loyalty. 

To these precepts is added the principle of presumption of innocence. It takes into 

account that until there are good reasons to prove that a crime has actually been committed by 

a person, the individual will be considered innocent. The police officer must perform his 

prerogatives with maximum objectivity and in a fair manner. He will have to develop the ability 

to think "coldly", that is, not to be influenced by what he feels would be right, but to 

meticulously research every detail and after a thorough analysis, to arrive at the right solution.  

We have previously stated that law enforcement bodies must respect human rights and 

fundamental freedoms. All actions that police officers take towards any person must be in strict 

accordance with the law and must not allow the policeman to be influenced by certain 

characteristics of the individual (origin, ethnicity, nationality, sex, etc.) One of the most 

important documents when it comes to presenting people's rights and freedoms is the Universal 

Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948 by Resolution 217 A at the third 

session of the United Nations General Assembly. Among the rights that are enshrined in this 

document we mention: civil rights (right to life, inviolability of housing, free movement, etc.); 

political rights (right to asylum, right to choose, citizenship); economic rights (right to property, 

equal pay for equal work); procedural rights (right to a fair trial, right to effective remedy, etc.) 

and social rights (right to work, right to social security, right to rest and leisure). 

 

3.2. Managerial communication-cybernetic system 

The good, in order to be encouraged and increased, must be rewarded accordingly. Evil, 

equally, must be properly punished in order to be deterred and stopped. For this society to 

progress, exceptional deeds undertaken by a person must be recognized, appreciated and 

ultimately rewarded. Deep down, the individual has the desire and, why not, the need to be 

appreciated, the need to belong to a certain collective. Thanks to this striving, the individual 

overcomes his limits and makes great efforts to achieve a result. The employee wants to be 

appreciated by others after all his efforts. The individual constantly feels the need to be useful 

to his fellows. We, as a society, must always have our eyes open to see these people and 

encourage and appreciate them for their actions. Only by doing so, the organization will achieve 

its goals through the reward system, awards, etc. the population in general.  

This system of thinking is also found within the Romanian Police. Many police officers 

and agents go to great lengths to solve complex cases. They often sacrifice their free time, and 

sometimes even their family, so that eventually the truth will come out in a given situation and 

justice will be served. From our point of view, this sacrifice on the altar of justice must be 

observed and rewarded accordingly. Currently, among the existing means for rewarding police 

officers who achieve outstanding results we mention: advancement in rank, awarding a diploma 

of excellence, handing out plaques of honour, etc. 

Finally, we notice how all the normative acts presented in this chapter have the role of 

defining within the Romanian Police the eternal concepts of "good" and "evil". All the rights 

and obligations of police officers, all perceptions that must govern the activities undertaken by 



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police officers, all principles for the application of police measures, form a whole by which the 

legislator defines "morality" for law enforcement bodies. The "good" defined in this sense is 

continually encouraged by rewarding people who show initiative and dedication and who 

sacrifice themselves, often for the sake of high moral principles. 

 

4. The second pillar of the Romanian Police: Communication 

  4.1. The role of forms of communication in police activity 

 Regarding the levels on which communication is carried out, the doctrine refers to three: 

verbal, written and nonverbal communication (Cuc et al., 2015:44).  

 Verbal communication is It is an important form of communication and has several 

characteristic features that differentiate it from other types of information transmission. Verbal 

communication is permissive and circular, in the sense that, within it, one can easily return to 

details or information that appeared after the formulation of the basic message. This type of 

communication is influenced by circumstances, in the sense that the receiver can perceive the 

message differently, depending on the state of fatigue, the level of stress, his mood. Last but 

not least, verbal communication is influenced by the individual traits of the sender and receiver.  

 Written communication is a much more formal type of communication than oral 

communication and is characterized by readability, adequacy and fairness. In this type of 

communication, medium-length phrases must be used, common expression and unnecessary 

words must be avoided so that the receiver can perceive the message as well as possible. 

Written communication has a number of advantages, but also a set of disadvantages. Among 

the advantages, we mention: the possibility of distance communication, the possibility of the 

sender to linger on the message before transmitting it, the possibility of transmitting more 

complex messages, so that the receiver always has access to information and can reread it. 

Among the disadvantages of this type of communication, we refer to: feedback is delayed, 

sometimes even absent, for the elaboration of a written message the effort is higher, the receiver 

does not have the opportunity to ask questions, etc. 

 Nonverbal communication is by far the most important form of communication.   Peter 

F. Drucker said in this regard that the most important thing is to hear what no one says (Cuc et 

al., 2015:68). Nonverbal communication involves an accumulation of signs that can be encoded 

by the receiver and that can contradict, reinforce or replace what the sender wanted to express. 

The receiver pays the most attention to this type of communication. Among the basic 

characteristics of this type of communication we mention: the fact that it is unintentional, 

emphasizes verbal communication, is the expression of the level of culture and civilization, can 

contradict some aspects of verbal communication, is most often marked by ambiguity. 

According to Mehabrian A. and Weiner M., in oral communication 55% of information is 

retained and perceived through nonverbal language (gestures, mimicry, facial expression, etc.) 

(Cuc et al., 2015:68). 

 Within the Romanian Police, we encounter all these types of communication. The use 

of a particular type is determined by the circumstance of the policeman. Thus, in a discussion 

with several colleagues to establish an action plan, verbal communication will be mainly used. 

Written communication occurs most often in the prosecutor-police relationship, when the 

prosecutor will give him a note of instructions, in which he will inform him of the steps to 

follow in a certain case, usually more complicated. Communication Nonverbal is determined 



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by tense situations, which do not allow police officers to communicate with each other. For 

example, in an altercation, the policeman who is assaulted by a large number of malicious 

people, through a gesture, can convey to his colleague a certain idea (use of tear spray, use of 

weapons, call for reinforcements).  

 

  4.2. Functions of managerial communication and managerial communication styles with 

applicability to IPJ X 

 The main objective of communication is to modify the behaviour of the receiver. The 

objectives of communication are diversified. In doctrine we are given multiple other views as 

to which they are or should be below the objectives of communication. One of the opinions we 

also agree with is the one presented by Nicki Stanton. According to him, through 

communication we must: be received, be understood, be accepted, provoke a reaction (Stanton, 

1995:1). These are the four major goals when it comes to communication, and if you fail to 

achieve at least one of them, you can consider that the communication process has failed. On 

the contrary, if all these goals are achieved, it can be considered that the communication process 

has been achieved in the best conditions. 

In order to achieve the latter result, communication must perform several functions. 

Among them we mention: information (providing information necessary to perform tasks, 

providing information for implementing decisions, ensuring access to information); 

transmission of decisions (communication of decisions taken at unit level and creation of a 

climate conducive to compliance and fulfilment); influencing the receiver (initiating dialogues 

with employees / subordinates to know their personal opinion about certain situations, 

encouraging dialogue between employees to create the family framework); employee training 

(informing employees of the skills and capabilities they need to develop, amplifying the ability 

to solve spontaneous problems); image creation (development of consciousness of belonging 

to a particular group fighting for the same goal); motivating employees and promoting 

organizational culture (Manolescu, 2010:8). 

These communication functions are also respected and monitored within the Romanian 

Police. The most important function of communication, namely information, is considered, in 

particular, by those holding leadership positions. The boss informs the subordinate about the 

existing criminal situation and gives him instructions on how best to act. The transmission of 

decisions shall also take place within this institution in a timely manner. This function of 

communication is also performed by those who are in leadership positions. Following a 

thorough analysis, the head of the unit makes certain decisions and subsequently initiates a 

meeting through which he will inform subordinates of its content. Image creation is the function 

that is crystallized mainly by the existence of the uniform. By wearing the same clothing and 

channelling all their energy towards the same goal, police officers gain a sense of power and 

devotion to their institution. Lacking the cohesion of teams, police training is carried out by 

hierarchical chiefs through different means: training, other courses. Within it, the hierarchical 

heads will inform the agents and police officers about the rules they must respect in conducting 

criminal investigations, in the complex process of finding out the truth. They will be subject to 

different procedures for compliance with the rules within the managerial communication 

program. This function of training plays a substantial role in training and maintaining high-

quality professionalism. 



284 

 

Communication style refers to a set of interpersonal behaviours used in one 

circumstance or another. What is important to remember is that there is no right or wrong style 

of communication. It all depends on certain situations, on the context. The doctrine retains 

several styles of communication: passive communication (refers to the ability to avoid conflict 

by neglecting one's own needs and desires and prioritizing the interests of the other); aggressive 

communication (is at the opposite pole of passive communication and refers to the use of 

threats or ridicule to attack another person's concepts); assertive communication (it is in the 

middle between passive and aggressive communication and refers to expressing points of view 

in a diplomatic manner so as not to disturb the interlocutor), etc. (Cuc et al., 2015:27). 

The communication styles mentioned above are also found mainly within the Romanian 

Police. Thus, in the hierarchical chief-police relationship, the communication style based on 

the directive will be pragmatically felt. The superior will assign a series of tasks for the 

subordinate with the expectation that the latter comply with them exactly, according to the 

saying: "Order is order." The egalitarian style will be felt in the police-policeman relationship, 

that is, between colleagues. Being in a more complicated situation, the policeman can ask for 

advice from other colleagues, relating to them in a friendly manner, based on mutual trust. The 

structuring style is mainly used by immediate bosses in work meetings. Police officers are 

regularly instructed on the rules they must follow and the procedures to be applied so that all 

fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens are respected. The dynamic style, as the name 

suggests, we identified in tense situations, where action is superior to communication. In order 

to capitalize on an operative moment, the basic information must be communicated as 

succinctly as possible, following the catch of the offender in flagrante. The abandonment style 

is rarer, but it refers to that situation where, due to the criminal's dangerousness, the policeman 

calls a crew of gendarmes to face him, as they have specialized training in this regard. Thus, 

the policeman, in those moments, can be said to adopt a support role, the gendarmes fulfilling 

the main activity. Finally, the last style of communication, that of avoidance, is found especially 

in the police-suspect relationship. Being interviewed, the suspect often chooses not to answer 

the questions asked by the policeman and either nonchalantly changes the subject or adopts 

silence as a way of defence. We identify here the role of the investigator trained with specific 

techniques to lead the dialogue towards the achievement of the ultimate goal of the 

communication process: finding out the truth. 

 

 4.3. The importance of knowing body language 

 Communication through body language is, on the other hand, one of the most important 

types of communication that a police officer must pay attention to. About 55% of 

communication is expressed and transmitted through the body. Body communication can 

reinforce or contradict what a person says. When communicating, a person uses, voluntarily or 

involuntarily, facial expressions (frowns, smiles, etc.), gestures (hand movement, body 

position), etc. A person may also communicate through; orientation (whether or not to look at 

the interlocutor), body contact (a light pat on the shoulder), body movements, etc. (Stanton, 

1995:2). 

 When interviewing a witness, a suspect, an injured person, TC., the policeman must 

pay special attention to all these factors. By understanding the body language of the person 

being interviewed, the policeman will know what to focus on or, conversely, what to avoid.  



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 For example, if the interviewee raises his eyebrows while the policeman is talking about 

a certain aspect, this is a sign that the individual has been aroused attention and interest. In 

those moments when the law enforcement body will notice this reaction of the interviewed 

person, the policeman is encouraged to continue the topic addressed, and then ask the necessary 

questions. Another particularly important aspect that will be taken into account by the 

policeman refers to the position of the head. A slight tilt of the neck is a sign of openness. The 

neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the human being and by the fact that the person 

interviewed chooses to expose it, it means nothing but trust and comfort. When observing this 

body language, the policeman must continue the discussion so as to maintain this climate 

conducive to declaring the truth. While the suspect relates what happened in response to the 

officer's questions, the position of the palms can make all the difference when it comes to the 

accuracy of the information provided. A person who has open palms is a person who does not 

hide anything and who is honest. This body language is also a good "honesty detector." 

Crossing your heels is another body movement that says a lot about a person. If during the 

story, the suspect crosses his heels, this is a sign of discomfort and stress. Most of the time, this 

move is carried out at key moments of the statement, when the person feels guilty and tries to 

mask the truth. Another very important body language is to put your thumbs in your pocket. 

This gesture denotes insecurity and fear. Usually, the suspect uses this body language when the 

officer is more authoritarian and raises his voice. It is recommended that the police officer be 

calm throughout the interview so as not to influence the suspect (Joe, 2018). It will be 

considered noticing the inconsistency between verbal and nonverbal communication, trying to 

adopt "positions" to support the lie, tracking the authenticity of statements with the help of 

polygraph. 

  

5. Conflict resolution 

  5.1. Conflict between obstacle and necessity 

Since the beginning of the world, it seems that one element that has existed and 

continues to exist is conflict.  As we have shown in previous chapters, people being different, 

have different, often divergent goals and interests. One person's gain may represent another's 

loss. It is natural for everyone to want to achieve their goals, but the problem lies in how to 

reach the "bottom".  It should also be pointed out that there can also be conflicts within a group 

of like-minded people who have different perspectives on how to achieve success. So, the 

occurrence of conflicts is not limited to having different goals, but also extends to the means 

used to achieve an objective. 

As for the types of conflicts, opinions are divided in doctrine. We will rally to the view 

that there are three types of conflict: personal conflicts; interpersonal conflicts and 

organizational conflicts (Agabrian, 2008:61).  

Personal conflicts refer to different ideas, desires or values that the individual keeps 

within himself, and which often conflict with each other. This type of conflict is also generated 

by the battle between personal inclinations and group expectations, between doing what is 

advantageous and doing what is seen and welcomed by others. 

Interpersonal conflicts refer to the fact that between people there are differences in 

perceptions, experience, interests, etc. They often compete for limited resources (salary, 

promotion, etc.)  



286 

 

Organizational conflicts arise when differences in authority and power within an 

institution are not mutually accepted. 

 As stated before, conflicts are inevitable and present within any institution. Therefore, 

there are also certain divergences in the Romanian Police that need to be noticed and 

eventually remedied. The three types of conflicts presented in Mircea's book Agabrian also 

makes their presence felt within the police inspectorates.  

Personal conflicts often arise before a hearing. The policeman will have to form a well-

organized, thought-out action plan, prepare the most appropriate questions and meticulously 

document the facts that occurred and the person to be heard. The ultimate goal is simple: to 

find out the truth and hold the guilty to account. To get to this point, the policeman may have 

different, sometimes even divergent, ideas and strategies. For example, if a murder was 

committed and as a result of this act several objects used by the criminal were seized, the police 

officer must decide whether presenting these tools to the suspect during the hearing will be 

beneficial to solving the case or will delay the criminal investigation. Some suspects may 

provide useful information to the police during the hearing, but after presenting materials that 

could accuse them, they may enter a state of nihilism, absolute denial and may decide to remain 

silent and not provide any more information. As a result, the law enforcement body must inform 

itself about the suspect's temperament and personality and, based on this information, plan its 

work. 

Interpersonal conflicts are mainly present between co-workers. Given that a limited 

number of police officers can be proposed for early advancement, some of the police officers 

and agents fight hard to stand out in different cases or cases. Unfortunately, it can also go to 

the bad extreme where police officers will no longer be willing to lend a helping hand in 

conducting investigations. We could also observe this at the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" Police 

Academy in Bucharest. Some students, in order to have as high an average as possible and thus 

choose the first places in the distribution, responded negatively to their colleagues who asked 

them to send them the subject for exams. This "hunger" for limited resources makes its presence 

felt even in school.  

Organizational conflicts are also present within one of the most important state 

institutions. These can be generated, for example, by the discrepancy in experience and still 

holding a management position. This is visible when an individual graduates from the Police 

Academy and is employed as an officer, sub-inspector. Officers are superior to police officers 

given the university training they have. Thus, a 21-year-old can be put (and often is) in the 

position of assigning tasks for his colleagues, police officers, who can be over 40 or 50 years 

old. They often do not accept instructions from a younger person, and this creates a tense 

situation. 

 

  5.2. How to resolve conflicts 

 Once a conflict is identified, it must be resolved immediately by extinguishing or 

integrating it. The conflict resolution activity is a pressing one because conflict, by its intrinsic 

nature, can affect the image of an institution (Coman, 2009:181). The more prestigious the 

institution, the more a divergence or misunderstanding will affect how the organization is 

viewed. When it comes to the Romanian Police, seen as an institution with a fundamental role 

in ensuring a climate of peace and safety in society, the way conflict is managed has strong 



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influences on it. Even if citizens cannot know the source of a conflict, they will notice the 

tension existing among police officers and errors or shortcomings in performing work 

activities. This can cause distrust of the population in the capabilities and professionalism of 

persons vested with the exercise of state authority. To avoid this, conflicts must be remedied 

or integrated once they are detected. These processes will demonstrate the efficiency of the 

management system and in the following, we will present some ways to resolve conflicts within 

the Romanian Police. 

 One of the most important ways to remedy various misunderstandings is dialogue. I 

believe William Isaacs' vision of dialogue (a way to extract energy from our differences and 

channel it into something new, novel and beneficial (Isaacs, 1999:1) is a true and complex one.  

 Daniel Yankelovich believed that dialogue has three primary characteristics:  

 Equality and absence of any coercive influences (parties to the dialogue are seen as 

equal, regardless of the degree of authority they hold) 

 Empathic listening (the side in a dialogue must put itself in the position of the other 

party and vice versa) 

 Open expression of thoughts and assumptions (Yankelovich, 1999:41-44). 

We believe that through an efficient dialogue, in the sense of the ideas presented above, 

most of the problems within the Romanian Police can be remedied.  

 A misunderstanding that can be resolved through dialogue concerns the situation when 

a complex case is assigned to a larger number of police officers, and each of them has different 

ideas on how to solve the case. The different vision on solving a case is often an element that 

unnecessarily delays finding out the truth in a criminal case. However, achieving justice is a 

goal that must be achieved immediately, and so police officers must come to a common point. 

An effective way to achieve this is dialogue. In a meeting, police officers should objectively 

present their proposed means of prosecution, accompanied by relevant arguments. After 

listening carefully to each opinion, they may agree on the application of one of the methods 

presented. It is worth emphasizing, however, that this is not a question of having right or wrong 

perspectives regarding the settlement of the case, but of finding the most efficient method of 

finding out the truth in a case. Another useful way to resolve conflicts between parties is 

negotiation. The importance of negotiations derives from the fact that they can lead to better 

collaboration within and outside the institution and from the fact that negotiations can help an 

individual earn a reputation as a problem solver (Manolescu, 2010:82). According to other 

views in the doctrine, negotiation is a process by which we manage to get what we want from 

those people who want something from us; a process aimed at resolving a conflict between two 

or more parties who are willing to reach a mutually acceptable compromise; a process by which 

we convince the other party that our proposals are pertinent and of interest (Kennedy, 1998:9). 

The doctrine emphasizes two main elements common to every negotiation situation 

encountered in practice: mutual dependence and mutual adjustment (Manolescu, 2010:85).  

 

6. Conclusions and recommendations 

 Communication and conflict exist everywhere in the contemporary world. The setting 

in motion of any mechanism depends on these two main elements. Properly managed, both 

communication and conflict will reveal their advantages and encourage progress and 

empowerment.  



288 

 

 Communication, in particular, is indispensable when it comes to complex tasks or 

expensive projects. In the absence of the ability to transmit information, the project is destined 

to fail. As I show in the content of this paper and within the Romanian Police, communication 

plays a basic role in finding out the truth in different situations. Effective communication 

between chief and subordinate, between colleagues and between policeman and citizen, will 

make the prosecution faster and more operative. 

 Of all types of communication, by far the most important is nonverbal communication. 

Many times people try to hide something, and they are now experts in the art of obfuscation. 

An individual with some knowledge of body language will be able to detect those gestures, 

expressions, movements, etc. that betray what a person wants to convey. The importance of 

verbal communication derives from the fact that it is present in most interpersonal 

conversations and from the fact that it often conveys more details and information than verbal 

communication (Kory, 2013:204-205). 

 The policeman must know mainly body language given the type of people he faces on 

a daily basis. In an attempt to evade prosecution and get away with it, the offender will resort 

to numerous means of concealing the truth. However, a well-trained police officer will manage 

to notice, despite everything that the offender transmits, certain behaviours and gestures that 

indicate that the person in question is telling lies.   

Currently, there are numerous courses within the Romanian Police for initiating and 

improving law enforcement bodies in the mysteries of nonverbal communication. One of the 

courses that police officers can attend is entitled: "Body Language. The Art of Nonverbal 

Communication". 

 Conflict can play an important role in detecting malfunctions and resolving them. 

Conflict, by its complex nature, puts an insurmountable barrier in carrying out daily activities, 

declares, in other words, a "pause" in the uninterrupted run towards achieving goals. 

 Within the Romanian Police, conflicts often arise. They manifest themselves at the level 

of several relationships: boss-subordinate; policeman-policeman; policeman-citizen. Their 

existence should not be seen as a permanent barrier to policing, but should be perceived as 

signals that something needs to change. By using the most effective methods of conflict 

resolution, dialogue and negotiation, police officers can overcome any vicissitude and move 

forward on the path of professionalism.  

 Communication and conflict remain paramount elements within the Romanian Police 

system. The optimal communication process at the level of law enforcement bodies and their 

capacity to resolve conflicts form the unshakable foundation on which one of the most 

important institutions of the Romanian state must be based: the police. 

  

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Legislation: 

23. Charter of the United Nations, San Francisco, June 26, 1945, Chapter VI. 

24. Code of ethics and deontology of police officers, articles 1, 6. 

25. Labour Code of 24 January 2003, republished with subsequent amendments and 

completions. 

26. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. 

27. Government Decision 294/2007 on the organization and functioning of the "Alexandru 

Ioan Cuza" Police Academy within the Ministry of Administration and Interior. 

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29. Law 360/2022 on the Status of the Policeman. 

30. Law nr. 218 of 23 April 2002 on the organization and functioning of the Romanian Police, 

Articles 26, 31. 

31. Statute of the National Union of Police and Contract Personnel of the Ministry of Internal 

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32. www.snppc.ro/istoric. 


