Citizens’ Trust in the Romanian Police

Abstract

In order for the Romanian Police to be able to perform its tasks, it requires for citizens to trust their work. Because of the different opinions that have arisen over time, an analysis of the trust citizens have in this institution is a welcome one. This paper aims to discover the level of trust citizens have in the Romanian Police. Being an issue that weighs a lot in the public image and the sphere of social life, this research is a topical one and the analysis of the results could lead to better communication and the strengthening of the relationship between the citizens and the Romanian Police. The present paper aims to create an image of the confidence that the citizens of a region of North-East Romania have in the Romanian Police. The objective of this research is to measure the citizens trust in the staff of the Romanian Police, respectively the respect they have and at the same time the elements that could positively or negatively influence this aspect. Based on data analysis, the premise according to which the level of corruption influences the trust in the Police was found to be valid. Most subjects considered this to be one of the main reasons for which people began to lose their trust in the police. This factor is not isolated and is not only encountered within the Romanian Police, and it also does not refer only to this institution. Once corruption occurs at the level of the state, it is inevitable to spread it to the institutions is connected with. This does not prove that such actions actually take place, but citizens associate state and authority with the police, and that's where the suspicions arise. Also, if a policeman is discovered committing the crime of receiving bribery, not only will he suffer, but the whole institution he represents will. Behavior and training of police officers are two factors that have an important role in increasing or decreasing confidence in the Romanian Police. The image of the Romanian Police is influenced by several factors and the citizens must take into account not only the mistakes made by the staff working in this institution, but also the results obtained from the missions they have carried out. How to cite: Pasniciuc, L.I. (2017). Citizens Trust in the Romanian Police. Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty, Section: Law, V (2), 48-66. https://doi.org/10.18662/lumenlaw.4