Which type of power is demonstrated when a city council controls funding for a police department?

• A. Charismatic power
• B. Personal power
• C. Information power
• D. Resource power

Answer: (D)

Resource power is at work here. When a group controls the funds needed for a department to operate—budgets, salaries, equipment, and programs—they hold leverage to shape what the department can do. The city council’s ability to approve, modify, or withhold funding gives them influence over priorities, staffing, and operations, making resource power the natural explanation for this scenario.

Charismatic power relies on personal charm, which isn’t the lever in this case. Personal power comes from an individual’s attributes rather than control of resources. Information power would require owning or controlling critical data, not the money that enables action. So the scenario aligns with resource power, the influence that comes from controlling valuable resources necessary to achieve goals.