Problem officers? Analyzing problem behavior patterns from a large cohort

Abstract

This study explored varying patterns of police problem behaviors as officers gain experience. The policing literature offered little guidance for exploring problem behaviors over the course of officers' careers; therefore, the criminal career paradigm was employed as a means for framing and analyzing this phenomenon. Using a retrospective, longitudinal data set gathered from a large police department in the northeastern United States, patterns of citizen complaints for a large cohort of officers were examined using a semiparametric, group-based approach. Results indicated that multiple trajectories underlie the aggregate relationship between experience and misconduct, and varying demographic characteristics impact the likelihood that officers will belong to each trajectory. Descriptions of each trajectory and their profiles are presented, and theoretical and practical implications for policing are discussed.