A Comparison of Taiwanese and American Police Supervisors' Attitudes

Abstract

This article compares attitudinal differences between Taiwanese and American police supervisors. Although a growing number of cross-national studies of police have been conducted, very few have empirically assessed attitudinal distinctions among officers across countries. Using interview and survey data collected from two American and two Taiwanese police departments, this research assessed police supervisors' role orientations and their attitudes toward aggressive law enforcement, legal restrictions, and citizens. The findings show that Taiwanese police supervisors differ significantly from their American counterparts in all attitudinal scales. Compared to American supervisors, Taiwanese supervisors tended to have a broad role orientation, positive attitudes toward aggressive law enforcement and legal restrictions, and negative attitudes toward citizens. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.