Recruiting the warrior cop: Assessing predictors of highly militarized recruitment videos

Abstract

PurposeProminent among police reform policy discussions is a focus on recruitment (particularly of BIPOC officers), as well as a reorientation of policing away from a “warrior” mindset. This study examines levels of militarization found in police recruitment videos to determine whether organizational and environmental variables predict the themes advertised to potential applicants. MethodsUsing the findings of a content analysis of a sample of United States police recruiting videos, principal components analysis is conducted to observe whether measures of community-oriented policing load on distinct components from measures of militarization, with results used to calculate a militarization score for each video. The study then examines predictors of, and protective factors against, high video militarization scores using ordinal logistic regression. ResultsAgencies that received federal COPS grants for community-oriented policing, and that have collaborative problem-solving integrated into officers' evaluations are significantly less likely to advertise highly militarized messages to potential applicants. ConclusionCOPS grants are helpful in reducing militarized themes in recruiting videos, which may deter heavily “warrior”-minded applicants from applying. Agencies must also ensure that community-oriented philosophy is converted to actionable practice, and that these practices are showcased in recruiting materials to reflect the skills required for modern policing.