Dutch Police Force Research Articles

Exploring the Interpersonal Outcomes of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training Among Police Employees

Police employees have an essential role in sustaining safety and harmony within communities, and they need to stay well as individuals in order to achieve this. Yet, their stressful work environment does not always afford optimal interpersonal interactions. In collaboration with the Dutch police force, the present project explored the effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on the fostering of constructive interpersonal responses as well as individual well-being among employees of the Dutch police. In total, 133 police employees participated in a non-randomized waitlist controlled MBSR intervention. Participants filled out four online questionnaires spread evenly over a period of six months on constructive interpersonal responses and individual well-being. Linear mixed-effects analyses showed increases on various indicators of constructive interpersonal responding and individual well-being from pre-to post-training. These results were largely maintained at two-month follow-up. Interestingly, the positive effects of mindfulness intervention did not generalize across all measures of constructive interpersonal responding. Moreover, more frequent home practice predicted training benefits. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Primordial Brains and Bodies: How Neurobiological Discourses Shape Policing Experiences

This article demonstrates how the broader social development to understand behaviour and personhood as shaped by neurobiology forms a predominant narrative among police officers. Drawing on an ethnography of the Dutch police force and 73 interviews with officers, I examine first how they use neurobiological terms to describe and account for their embodied sensations as well as civilian behaviour. Second, I describe the functions these narratives have, that is, why officers use them. Finally, I show how neurobiological discourses are learned and (re)produced during training. Results indicate that officers invoke neurobiology both as facilitator of and explanation for action. The latter raises questions as to what extent neurobiological discourse obscures police responsibility and accountability. A more thorough understanding of how neurobiological discourses are used to understand and account for actions is relevant, given the growing pressures on public professionals to legitimise their work.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity Characteristics of Resilience to Traumatic Stress in Dutch Police Officers.

BackgroundInsights into the neurobiological basis of resilience can have important implications for the prevention and treatment of stress-related disorders, especially in populations that are subjected to high-stress environments. Evaluating large-scale resting-state networks (RSNs) can provide information regarding resilient specific brain function which may be useful in understanding resilience. This study aimed to explore functional connectivity patterns specific for (high) resilience in Dutch policemen after exposure to multiple work-related traumatic events. We investigated resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the salience network (SN), limbic network, and the default-mode network (DMN).MethodsResting-state functional MRI scans were obtained from trauma-exposed executive personnel of the Dutch police force and non-trauma-exposed recruits from the police academy. Participants were divided into three groups: a resilient group (n = 31; trauma exposure; no psychopathology), a vulnerable group (n = 32; trauma exposure, psychopathology), and a control group (n = 19; no trauma exposure, no psychopathology). RSFC of the three networks of interest was compared between these groups, using an independent component analysis and a dual regression approach.ResultsWe found decreased resilience-specific positive RSFC of the salience network with several prefrontal regions. The DMN and limbic network RFSC did not show resilience-specific patterns.ConclusionThis study shows a differential RSFC specific for resilient police officers. This differential RSFC may be related to a greater capacity for internal-focused thought and interoceptive awareness, allowing more effective higher-order responses to stress in highly resilient individuals.

Transfer of Self-Leadership Skills Within the Dutch Police: a Three-Wave Study

This three-wave study examined the training-to-work transfer process of a self-leadership skills training programme for crime scene investigators working for the Dutch police force. The transfer process is complex and depends on numerous factors. Two important steps forward are taken in the present study. First, we take into account all transfer steps in one study to gain insights into the transfer process, and second, by being specific about the work situation in which transfer outcomes should occur, we address the “criterion problem” that is often mentioned in transfer research. Based on the Ability Motivation Opportunity model, we hypothesised that the posttraining transfer process starts with being motivated to transfer and that this motivation increases the use of self-leadership during work. Another aspect that may facilitate the use of trained skills is supervisor support, as it offers opportunities to use self-leadership skills during work. In turn, self-leadership skills at work were hypothesised to lead to increased work performance. We tested our transfer model in two different work situations experienced by crime fighters. Our findings show that the use of self-leadership skills is positively related to the detached concern of crime fighters in specific situations. Additionally, our findings show that the use of self-leadership skills mediates the relation between the motivation to transfer and work performance in specific situations. Finally, our findings show that including different transfer steps (i.e. the motivation to transfer, use of skills, and performance), different performance measures, and different work situations in the transfer process provides more insight into when and how transfer-to-work after training occurs. These findings suggest that if organisations aspire to improve such transfer, then they should be specific about the intended posttraining behaviours and performance and the situations in which these outcomes should emerge.

The Dutch Police and Religious Signs: An Analysis of the Headscarf Controversy in the Dutch Police Force

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Gender Interventions in the Dutch Police Force: Resistance as a Tool for Change?

ABSTRACTPrevious studies have documented strong resistance towards gender interventions. By contributing to theories on gender change, this paper increases our understanding of the reasons for this resistance and looks at how this resistance can be made productive in gendered interventions. Drawing on a case study in the Dutch Police force, the authors use case reconstructions of appointments to examine the introduction and reception of gender quota. They show how radical interventions such as quota can help to uncover the subtlety of gender inequality practices and make persistent and implicit stereotypes visible and discussable; they also show how radical interventions can trigger the reflexivity of actors. They conclude that the resistance against the interventions can be made productive because it allows for alternative construction of values. An analysis of resistance to gender interventions can contribute to diagnosing problems in the strategising and implementation of these interventions.

The Body-worn Camera as a Transitional Technology

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Shift work tolerance and the importance of sleep quality: a study of police officers

The aim of this study was to examine how subjective shift work tolerance was related to general health variables, with the expectation of inter-individual differences in the nature of this relation. A total of 740 employees of the Dutch Police force completed a questionnaire, covering seven health-related domains: sleep quality, sleep duration, need for recovery, fatigue, physical health, mental health, and work–life balance. Based on subjective reports of shift work tolerance, participants were classified as intolerant, medium-tolerant, or tolerant workers. Analysis involved group comparisons, regression, and cluster analysis. Eighteen percentage of the shift workers were classified as intolerant. The intolerant and medium-tolerant workers expressed more severe complaints than the tolerant workers, for all seven health-related domains. Shift work tolerance was primarily related to sleep quality and subsequently to need for recovery, fatigue, and work–life balance. No indications were found for systematic inter-individual differences in the nature of this relationship. For all participants equally, the degree of shift work tolerance was related to the severity of health-related complaints. This study highlights the central role of sleep for tolerance to shift work and underlines the need for occupational medicine to take explicit account of sleep.

Police message diffusion on Twitter: analysing the reach of social media communications

Social media are becoming increasingly important for communication between government organisations and citizens. Although research on this issue is expanding, the structure of these new communication patterns is still poorly understood. This study contributes to our understanding of these new communication patterns by developing an explanatory model of message diffusion on social media. Messages from 964 Dutch police force Twitter accounts are analysed using trace data drawn from the Twitter™ API to explain why certain police tweets are forwarded and others are not. Based on an iterative human calibration procedure, message topics were automatically coded based on customised lexicons. A principal component analysis of message characteristics generated four distinct patterns of use in (in)personal communication and new/versus reproduced content. Message characteristics were combined with user characteristics in a multilevel logistic general linear model. Our main results show that URLs or use of informal communication increases chances of message forwarding. In addition, contextual factors such as user characteristics impact diffusion probability. Recommendations are discussed for further research into authorship styles and their implications for social media message diffusion. For the police and other government practitioners, a list of recommendation about how to reach a larger number of citizens through social media communications is presented.

Police misconduct: accountability of internal investigations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an analysis of official data on police misconduct, providing new insights into the nature and extent of police misconduct and in the official response to police misconduct. Next to the use of force and neglect of duty, private time misconduct is a major type of (alleged) misconduct although it is often discarded from theoretical conceptions of police misconduct. The analysis also showed that two‐thirds of internal investigations are the result of an internal report. This paper shows that official data on police misconduct can result in new insights in the nature and extent of police misconduct and is therefore a relevant source for academic analysis.Design/methodology/approachAn analysis of official data on police misconduct is compared with theoretical notions of police misconduct, internal investigations and reliability of official data.FindingsThe implementation of a uniform Registration of Internal Investigations for all Dutch police forces has resulted in a clear increase in the number of registered investigations. This seems to be due to a combination of increased strictness on (alleged) misconduct and an improved quality of the registration. The analysis also showed that two‐thirds of the investigations are the result of an internal report. This places a new perspective on the so‐called code of silence among police officers. However, information on the extent and nature of complaints that are dealt with through the complaints procedure is lacking. The complaints procedure has also no formal relation with the disciplinary or criminal procedures.Research limitations/implicationsOfficial data on police misconduct have to be viewed with a critical eye. The analyses showed however that the Dutch data seem fairly reliable. Additional research should place the official data in further perspective, e.g. through case studies and through a control of the registration with the files of the Bureaux of Internal Investigations. Finally, a comparison with official data in other countries is needed.Practical implicationsThe Dutch police should improve its complaints procedures and the complaints registration.Originality/valueAcademic analysis of police misconduct is often limited to case studies of scandals or focuses on citizen complaints. The paper gives a broader perspective by using official data.

Paradoxes of Intersectionality: Theorizing Inequality in the Dutch Police Force through Structure and Agency

While gender and ethnic inequality have been extensively studied in the context of organizations, research into how the intersection of these and other identity categories (re)produces inequality in organizations is still scarce. In this article, we examine inequality from an intersectional perspective in the context of a diverse and multifaceted organization: the Dutch police force. Using data collected through direct observation and focus groups, we analyse how organizational inequality is (re)produced and called into question by drawing on intersecting gender, ethnic and organizational identities. The analysis on the findings through an intersectional lens sheds light onto two paradoxes. The first paradox points to the fact that, by deploying more positive identities to empower themselves, individuals can de facto contribute to reproducing inequalities along those same identity axes. The second suggests, on the contrary, that acknowledging female and ethnic minority officers’ specific valuable competences calls into question inequality along gender and ethnicity within the executive police force. In analysing our material, we approach individuals as agents reflecting and engaging with intersecting identities and the unequal power relations deriving from them. We show that, while they occasionally openly challenge inequality derived from one’s social identity, they often actually reproduce it in order to preserve their own individual power.

The Impact of Sexual Harassment Policy in the Dutch Police Force

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcome of sexual harassment policy in the Dutch Police Force. Using a survey, sexual harassment was measured in 2000 and again in 2006 and we tested whether sexual harassment is associated with the comprehensiveness of policies. To be able to identify divisions with comprehensive policies, we interviewed 29 key persons in semi-structured interviews. It appeared that between 2000 and 2006 sexual harassment did not decrease: neither for women nor for men. Furthermore, the risk of sexual harassment was not lower in divisions that implemented comprehensive policies than in divisions with less comprehensive policies. The results suggest that sexual harassment is a workplace hazard that is very difficult to prevent in male dominated workplaces and implementing a comprehensive policy is not sufficient to prevent this workplace hazard.

Sexual harassment and health among male and female police officers.

The aims of this study were to investigate whether sexual harassment is related to mental and physical health of both men and women, and to explore the possible moderating effects of gender on the relation between sexual harassment and health. In addition, we investigated whether women were more often bothered by sexual harassment than men, and whether victims who report being bothered by the harassment experience more health problems compared to victims who did not feel bothered. A representative sample of 3,001 policemen and 1,295 policewomen in the Dutch police force filled out an Internet questionnaire. It appeared that women were more often bothered by sexual harassment than men, but gender did not moderate the relation between sexual harassment and mental and physical health. In addition, victims who felt bothered by the harassing behaviors reported more mental and physical health problems than victims who did not feel bothered. The distinction between bothered and nonbothered victims is important because appraisal is an essential aspect in the operationalization of sexual harassment.

The diffusion of electronic service delivery innovations in dutch E-policing: The case of digital warning systems

This article examines the diffusion and adoption process of an electronic service delivery innovation, which can be seen as an example of e-policing – called SMS-alert – among Dutch police forces. It is not only important to pay attention to the question how an innovation has spread - and the factors and mechanisms that stimulated or frustrated this process - but also to the reasons why an innovation has spread. Therefore, it is important to look at what kind of different meanings organizations attach to an innovation, especially in a public sector context. This research shows that functional, political and institutional patterns of meaning should be taken into account. In this case, the functional and political meaning dominated the appreciation of the innovation, although elements of the institutional meaning also played a role. Furthermore, the case shows that it is important to look at the – in diffusion studies underexposed – influence of diffusion policies and strategies, which have been conducted.

Jobs that matter: Butler's “performativity” in the Dutch police force

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the use that critical philosophical concepts can have within management studies.Design/methodology/approachThe paper introduces the notion “performativity” from the American philosopher Judith Butler and shows its fertility for organisation theory. It applies the notion to a case of the introduction of a job evaluation system within the Dutch police.FindingsAlthough the notion of “performativity” has a broad range, its effects for gender are especially significant. The paper identifies what meanings are reproduced in the job evaluation system; examining what are the consequences of the system for women and how does it influence the gender division. Job evaluation, it is concluded, creates an organisational reality, which produces.Practical implicationsUsing philosophical reflection processes of meaning making in practice are revealed and clarified. Gender bias in job evaluation is made visible.Originality/valueEngagement with Judith Butler's work in critical management studies reveals how philosophical “moves” lead to concrete insights.

Assessing the performance of pepper spray in use‐of‐force encounters: the Dutch experience

Purpose – This paper examines potential correlates of the effectiveness of oleoresin capsicum (OC) or pepper spray and police officer satisfaction with its performance during use‐of‐force encounters. Design/methodology/approach – Based on surveys completed by police officers, superior officers, and substitute prosecutors, data on nearly 800 uses of OC by Dutch police forces occurring between June 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002 were obtained. Ordered and generalized ordered logistic regressions are used for the analysis. Findings – The paper shows that although OC was generally effective, it was less effective on suspects under the influence of drugs, violent suspects, minority suspects, and suspects who were warned before being exposed to OC. Officers with more job experience reported OC as being more effective than officers with less experience. OC reduced aggressiveness among suspects already aggressive, but it induced aggression among initially non‐aggressive subjects. The vast majority of officers were satisfied with OC's performance during the study period, although ratings were affected by its ability to ease arrests, incapacitate suspects, and reduce suspect aggressiveness. Research limitations/implications – The OC incidents on which the analysis is based are a subset of all actual uses, and thus may not be representative. Several of the regressors are based on officer perception, and may be subject to measurement error. Practical implications – The findings in this paper have implications for police policy, practice, and training, and officer and suspect safety. Originality/value – This is one of very few studies to use multiple‐regression to examine correlates of OC effectiveness and officer satisfaction, and it expands upon the prior literature by including additional measures of OC performance. The results should be of value to law enforcement agencies and officers using OC, and those considering its adoption.

Are Individuals' Nighttime Sleep Characteristics Prior to Shift‐Work Exposure Predictive for Parameters of Daytime Sleep after Commencing Shift Work?

This study aimed to examine prospectively whether individual nighttime sleep characteristics at baseline (prior to shift‐work exposure) are related to parameters of daytime sleep after commencing shift work. A longitudinal field study was carried out with novice police officers of the Dutch Police Force. A total of 26 subjects were examined at baseline before they entered shift work and re‐examined during follow‐up sessions after four and twelve months of shift‐work exposure. Wrist actigraphy and sleep diaries were used to study nocturnal sleep at baseline and daytime sleep after night shifts during follow‐up sessions. As outcome variables, estimated total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality were analyzed. Daytime total sleep time showed a 66 min decline during the first year of shift‐work exposure. Systematic inter‐individual differences were observed for daytime total sleep time and subjective sleep quality (explaining 53% and 38% of the variance, respectively), suggesting potential predictability of these sleep parameters. Although no predictors were found for daytime total sleep time, the subjective quality of nighttime sleep before the onset of shift work predicted 40% of the variance in the subjective quality of daytime sleep after commencing shift work. Follow‐up studies may reveal whether the subjective quality of baseline nighttime sleep also predicts long‐term overall tolerance for shift work.

Coping with targets: performance measurement in The Netherlands police

PurposeThe article aims to understand why performance management schemes or targeting were introduced in the Dutch police organisation after 2002. This question is relevant for two reasons. First, Dutch political culture is traditionally not overly concerned with performance of public organisations, and second, police work seems especially averse to targeting.Design/methodology/approachThe article explores changes in Dutch politics, and especially the rise and agenda of Pim Fortuyn, a flamboyant politician who disrupted the traditional political relations in the Dutch polity, and who put government performance on top of the political agenda. Analysis of secondary sources is used to track the response of police management, and field work is used to investigate the reactions of street level police officers.FindingsThe introduction of targeting is directly attributable to changes in the polity. As such, they represent a pendulum swing that will move back, especially when the limitations of targeting will become clear, and when the political discourse has moved on to topics other than public accountability.Practical implicationsManagers of public organisations could learn from this case that political pressure can have far‐reaching consequences, which cannot always be ignored, and can lead to far‐reaching effects in the organisation, that may be counterproductive.Originality/valueThis article asks simple questions: Why are Dutch police forces using performance contracts involving targets negotiated between the department of home affairs, the mayor and the police chief? Why were they introduced from 2002 on? And will they be a lasting practice in the Dutch police?

Change among the Gatekeepers: Men, Masculinities, and Gender Equality in the Global Arena

Change among the Gatekeepers: Men, Masculinities, and Gender Equality in the Global Arena

Exploring the relation between work domains and work‐related learning: the case of the Dutch police force

The principal aim of this study is to explore the relations between work domains and the work‐related learning of workers. The article is intended to provide insight into the learning experiences of Dutch police officers during the course of their daily work. Interviews regarding actual learning events and subsequent changes in knowledge, skills or attitudes were conducted with police officers from different parts of the country and at different stages of their careers. Interpretative analyses grounded in the notion of intentionality and developmental relatedness revealed how and in what kinds of work domains police officers appear to learn. Homogeneity analysis use of Alternating Least Squares (HOMALS) analysis showed work‐related learning activities to vary with different kinds of work domains. The implications for training and development involve the role of colleagues in different hierarchical positions for learning and they also concern the utility of the conceptualisation of work‐related learning presented here.