Examine Police Officers Research Articles

The Police Practice of Resolving Domestic Violence in Fiji

Using the plural policing and Global South policing frameworks, this article examines police officers' actions when handling domestic violence (DV) cases in Fiji. Drawing on an empirical survey of 365 police officers, it discusses what police do when dealing with DV reports. The findings show, firstly, that the majority of police officers are aware of the zero-tolerance policy for DV. Secondly, the majority of police officers assert they do not implement the zero-tolerance policy when handling DV cases. Thirdly, police officers take DV cases seriously. Fourthly, officers say they encourage people to use traditional customary and religious ways of settling cases and proceed with further investigation and possible prosecution only if the victim insists. Theoretically, the findings show that police practise a plural policing method of resolving DV. The article empirically and theoretically contributes to the literature on plural policing of DV in Pacific Island countries.

Police Misconduct Investigation Processes: Police Officer Perceptions of Fundamental Fairness

Police misconduct has historically garnered much research attention. Internal affairs (IA) processes exist within police departments to investigate such cases of misconduct. Yet, sworn officers may distrust IA processes, potentially hampering its effectiveness and its amenability for reform. The purpose of this study was to examine police officers’ perceptions of the IA process in its current state and their amenability to various types of IA reforms (e.g., civilian oversight committees, independent investigators). We collected survey data from a sample of 115 police officers from various police departments in New Jersey, USA. The results indicated that police officers vary in their perceptions of IA processes, such as the fairness of IA processes, their amenability to reforming IA systems, and what reforms were perceivably appropriate. Findings also indicated greater amenability for revisions to the current IA process, primarily among lower-ranking police officers and Black officers. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

The Role of Stigma and Confidentiality in Police Officer Utilization of Stress Relief Programs

Police officers face challenges from operational and organizational stressors. Officers often have access to stress relief programs offered by their employers, such as peer support programs, employee assistance programs, or chaplaincy programs. Using survey data from 247 police officers in a large metropolitan agency in CA, this exploratory study examines police officers’ likelihood to utilize stress relief programs (SRPs) based on prior utilization, perceived stigma, and confidentiality of the process. Additionally, officer selection of program is assessed. Findings illustrate that officer utilization of SRPs is negatively influenced by perceived coworker stigma, while supervisor stigma was not influential. Belief in the confidentiality of the program and prior utilization of an SRP is positively associated with SRP utilization. In terms of selecting a specific SRP, only prior utilization was found to be a factor. Suggestions for department policy to promote utilization and confidentiality and reduce stigma are discussed.

Forgotten, outdated, and absent: PSNI officer’s training, experiences, and confidence with Autism

ABSTRACT Building on the growing literature examining the multifaceted and complex issues surrounding police interactions with Autistic individuals, this paper examines police officers’ training, experiences, and confidence of policing and interacting with autistic individuals. The paper specifically focuses on the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which has been completely neglected in the literature to date. The findings are based upon a survey completed by 212 serving PSNI officers across a variety of ranks and years of experience. While there are a range of important findings in relation to training, confidence and available adaptations, the key finding of this paper is that less than one-third of the survey respondents reported receiving training on Autism delivered by the PSNI. Perhaps even more worryingly, less than half of those who had received this training stated that they were ‘satisfied’ with it. These findings suggest that the PSNI need to urgently reform the training provided to their officers to ensure that all officers receive Autism focused training. The study findings demonstrate that this new training programme should require periodic retraining throughout officers’ careers; be designed to provide officers with both the knowledge base and skill set to effectively interact with Autistic individuals in ways that protect their human rights; and be delivered by a specialist organisation or professional, such as Autism NI.

Body-worn cameras and court proceedings: A qualitative study of police officers’ expectations

Abstract Body-worn cameras (BWCs) record interactions between members of the public and law enforcement, with expected legal benefits. This study examines police officers’ perceptions of BWC usage in court through individual interviews and focus groups with 78 officers. Most of the participants were involved in a 6-month BWC pilot program, which was only the third BWC implementation in the Canadian province of Quebec. Police officers are largely optimistic about the use of BWCs in court and expect their footage to serve as visual evidence, to replace portions of written reports, and corroborate their testimony. However, they worry that BWC footage could be used by defense lawyers to challenge report discrepancies, leading to substantial impacts on legal proceedings. The BWC pilot program did not exacerbate their apprehensions about the technology’s potential limitations. The central role of police officers in the use of BWC footage as evidence is highlighted.

Examining Police Officers’ Perceptions of Automated License Plate Readers Before Technology Expansion

Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are one of the most recent technological advancements that have rapidly diffused across U.S. law enforcement. A majority of the large police agencies utilize APRs, yet little empirical and evaluative research has been conducted on this technology. This study seeks to (a) synthesize what is known about ALPRs and (b) examine police officers’ perceptions of ALPRs before a major expansion of the technology in a single agency in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Using an officer survey of 110 respondents, results found that those with prior experience using the technology, younger and more inexperienced officers, and those with stronger guardian orientations possessed more positive perceptions of the ALPR expansion. Prior experience using ALPRs also served as a protective factor by being associated with lower levels of skepticism toward the technology expansion; those officers with stronger warrior orientations had higher levels of skepticism. Practical considerations and directions for future research are discussed.

Police officers' perspective on doping and prevention among recreational athletes: a cross-sectional study.

The use of anabolic androgenic steroids among recreational athletes has received growing attention in recent decades. Several countries have implemented bans on doping; however, recreational athletes and other subpopulations continue to use doping substances. Recognizing that the police play a crucial role in preventing the use and dealing of doping substances in Sweden, efforts have been made to intensify police interventions and enhance collaboration with other key actors. This study examined police officers' perceptions of doping as defined in Swedish law, related problems, and suggestions for effective prevention of doping in the society. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted using a web survey of police officers (N = 597). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and free-form text responses were analyzed using content analysis. Participant responses to the survey (73.7% response rate) indicated that approximately 62.6% thought that doping is a societal problem, and approximately 26% perceived that the availability of doping substances has increased over the past three years. A total of 95.6% of respondents believed that doping occurred in connection with other crimes such as intimate partner violence (88.2%) and drug-related crimes (88.0%). Further, 96.3% of respondents perceived that it was their duty to prevent doping, but 63.8% indicated that doping-related work was not prioritized within their local police district. Police officers perceived doping as a societal problem and expressed motivation to counteract it, highlighting increased knowledge, legislative changes, intensified doping prevention in gyms, and commitment from other societal actors to increase the effectiveness of doping prevention. Suggestions for increasing the efficiency of doping prevention included education and increased knowledge at all levels in the police organization, intensified prevention efforts at gyms, legislative changes to permit simplified doping test procedures, and breach of secrecy for postal items. There was also a suggestion for further engagement from other actors, such as healthcare workers, school officials, and non-governmental organizations.

Police officer perceptions towards drug liberalization policies in the context of an overdose crisis in British Columbia, Canada

Background British Columbia, Canada, is experiencing an overdose crisis that has pushed drug liberalization policies to the forefront of the response. This study examines police officers’ perceptions of enforcement and drug liberalization policies, including support for decriminalization and regulation or ‘safer supply’, in this context. Methods Qualitative interview data were collected in September-November 2020 from active police officers involved in drug law enforcement in British Columbia, prior to decriminalization reforms being introduced in the province. We conducted a thematic analysis of this data with a focus on police officer views towards drug enforcement and drug liberalization policies. Results Policing and reforms amid the overdose crisis has shaped officer perceptions and actions towards illegal drugs and drug policies. Although officers saw overdose as a health issue, these views coincided with a strong emphasis on supply-side policing, such as drug trafficking investigations. Policing continues to be entrenched in the overdose crisis, which has impacted the way police officers view drugs and drug use, particularly, their belief that current interventions to disrupt the illegal drug market are not working. Conclusion This study advances knowledge on the motivations for promoting drug enforcement, and enacting drug policies, in the context of an overdose crisis.

Factors Influencing Arrest Decision-Making in Domestic Violence Cases in Zambia

Domestic violence is among the most prevalent forms of violence globally. It includes physical violence, emotional violence, sexual violence and economic violence. Several studies focusing on arrest decisions are conducted in the West; unfortunately, there is a dearth of studies focusing on domestic violence in Zambia especially on factors that influence arrest decision-making. This study was conceived to examine whether legal and extra-legal factors have an influence on the Zambia police service officers’ decision-making in domestic violence cases reported to them. Data consisting of 1258 cases of domestic violence from 2017-2019 were collected from five urban police stations in Lusaka city. In this study, we used univariate, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis to examine police officers’ decision-making in domestic violence cases. Descriptive results show that arrest rates are high in physical violence (13.20%), economic violence (9.46%), sexual violence (5.41%) and emotional violence (3.18%). Whilst the age of the victim, perpetrator ethnicity and the gender of police officers were found to be non-significant, strong predictors of arrest decision-making in a logistic analysis were found to be victim tribe, residential area, perpetrator age and type of domestic violence. Policy strategies and efforts should be channelled towards advocacy and awareness programmes across the communities and should not neglect the participation of victim support unit (VSU) police officers. Therefore, the Victim support unit should be appropriately funded to enhance awareness campaigns and educational programmes. Additionally, the police command should find ways of navigating around victims’ preferences in arrest decisions whilst respecting and upholding human rights and ethical standards.

Policing of Homelessness and Opportunities for Reform in Montreal

Police in North America face a public crisis of confidence and pressure to reduce interactions with socially vulnerable persons, such as people experiencing homelessness. Police contact with homeless persons, however, is driven in part by structural and policy factors beyond officers’ control, as well as demand from some members of the public. In this qualitative study, we examine police officers’ understanding of the causes of homelessness, their role in policing homeless persons, and their attitudes towards reform. Data were collected from 24 officers in Montreal via semi-structured interviews. Our results uncover evidence that officers understand the structural roots of homelessness, despite pathologizing some homeless persons they interact with. Though officers express support for expanding opportunities for housing and the role of non-profit organizations, they do not imagine a world without policing of persons experiencing homelessness. Finally, they express a strong sense that the public drive most police–homeless interactions and even constrain opportunities for non-punitive interactions.

‘Giving the right service to different people’: revisiting police legitimacy in the Covid-19 era

ABSTRACT The suspension of certain civil liberties and the extension of police powers to combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has provoked concerns about the longer-term implications of the pandemic on police legitimacy. Drawing upon pathways to police legitimacy identified within the literature, this paper examines police officers’ perceptions of the impacts on, and potential challenges to, police legitimacy arising from the pandemic. Qualitative interviews, video diaries and focus groups were conducted with police officers in one police force area in England, captured over a five month period in winter 2020/21. The experience of policing Covid-19 left many police officers concerned about the possible consequences for the relationship with the public. The paper cautions that any gains in public perceptions of procedural justice through using enforcement measures only as a last resort, may be offset by losses in other pathways to legitimacy. Expectations of enforcement and increased visibility plus prolonged changes to deployment practices have all heightened a focus on the more instrumental aspects of police legitimacy. Concerns were also voiced that the policing of Covid-19 has accentuated divisions in society, exacerbating the sense of multiple publics to police, with different and often competing expectations of – and beliefs about – the police. Enforcement falling more heavily within some groups and locations risks exacerbating long-standing concerns about distributive fairness. As agents of social control with unique powers to exercise force and compulsion, the pandemic will require the police to exercise continued vigilance on the means by which public consent and support are sustained.

Evidence-based policing and police receptivity to research: evidence from Taiwan

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how evidence-based policing (EBP) is understood by police officers and citizens in Taiwan and the influence of police education on police recruit's receptivity to research evidence in policing.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a cross-sectional design that includes Taiwanese police officers (n = 671) and a control group of Taiwanese criminology undergraduate students (n = 85). A research instrument covering five themes is developed, and after a pilot test the final scale remains 14 items.FindingsThe analysis suggests that police officers in Taiwan generally hold a positive view towards the role of research and researchers in policing, more so than is often observed in similar studies conducted in Western countries. Receptivity to research was found to be significantly higher among the non-police sample compared to the police sample. Moreover, time spent in police education was significantly associated with lower levels of receptivity to research.Originality/valueThe paper makes two original contributions to the literature on police officer receptivity to research. It is the first paper to (1) empirically examine police officers' openness to, and use of research in an Asian setting and (2) to compare police officers' receptivity to research with those of a relevant non-police group.

Total systems failure: police officers’ perspectives on the impacts of the justice, health, and social service systems on people who use drugs

BackgroundPolice in Canada have become main responders to behavioural health concerns in the community—a role that disproportionately harms people who use drugs (PWUD). Recent calls to defund the police emphasize the need to shift responsibility for non-criminal health issues from police to health and social services. This study explores the role of police interactions in responding to PWUD within the broader institutional and structural contexts in which they operate.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of interviews with sixteen police officers across nine jurisdictions in British Columbia, Canada. We examined police officers’ everyday policing experiences interacting with PWUD, enforcing drug laws, and working alongside other service sectors.ResultsOfficers explained that the criminal justice system is one component of a wider network of systems that collectively fail to meet the needs of PWUD. They recognized that PWUD who interact with police often experienced intersecting structural vulnerabilities such as poverty, homelessness, and intergenerational trauma. Harmful drug laws in conjunction with inadequate treatment and housing resources contributed to a funnelling of PWUD into interactions with police. They provided several recommendations for reform including specialized health and justice roles, formalized intersectoral collaboration, and poverty reduction.ConclusionsOverall, this study provides unique insights into the positioning and role of police officers within a “total systems failure” that negatively impact PWUD. Police have become responders-by-default for issues that are fundamentally related to people’s health conditions and socioeconomic circumstances. Addressing failures across the health, social, and justice systems to meet the needs of PWUD will require an examination of the shortcomings across these systems, as well as substantial funding and system reforms.

Accepting the Challenge: Understanding Police Officers’ Perceptions of a Community-Based, Youth Empowerment Program

Some communities are choosing to implement programs that enable police and youth to engage with each other within voluntary and non-enforcement-related contexts, yet little is known about the impacts of such programs on officers. As part of a larger program evaluation, this study examines police officers’ perceptions of participating in a community-based, youth empowerment program. In-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen police officers who participated in the Team Kids Challenge, a structured, voluntary, and community-driven program designed to empower youth to engage in community service in ways they find meaningful, while also exposing youth to working with police officers in a prosocial, non-enforcement context. Resoundingly, officers noted the (1) positive impact the program had on their opportunities to engage in prosocial interactions with youth, (2) improved relationships with children, and (3) an overall positive experience participating in the program. The paper draws implications for how agencies can work to improve their relationships with their communities when the communities so choose.

Responsive professionalism in post-NPM reforms: the case of the Swedish police

ABSTRACT This article investigates responsive professionalism in local collaboration across organizational boundaries, introduced by public reforms as a means to address the downsides of new public management (NPM) and to foster professionalism ‘closer to the citizens’. The case in point is the Swedish police reform, and the empirical material comprises 39 semi-structured interviews with police officers. Drawing on the work of Noordegraaf (2020. “Protective or Connective Professionalism? How Connected Professionals Can (Still) Act as Autonomous and Authoritative Experts.” Journal of Professions and Organization 7: 205–223. doi:10.1093/jpo/joaa011) and Anteby et al. (2016. “Three Lenses on Occupations and Professions in Organizations: Becoming, Doing, and Relating.” Academy of Management Annals 10 (1): 183–244), indicating that occupations today earn recognition for their professionalism within wider networks of other occupations, this study examines police officers’ occupational awareness of how to maintain responsive professionalism during local collaboration. Findings illustrate how police officers conceive of themselves as moderators, orchestrators, and mediators guided by occupational awareness of different organizational strains and of demands for responsive professionalism. The Swedish police reform was found to promote officers’ independent engagement in formalized or ‘abstract’ modes of professionalism that, nevertheless, continue to be responsive to local demands.

Expanding Mechanisms of Governance: Uncertainty and Risk in Police Decision-Making Strategies in the Pursuit of Specialized Peace Bonds.

This study examines police officers' decision-making practices through analyzing how they determine which offenders are candidates for an 810, or peace bond. This legal tool allows police officers to petition the courts for continued surveillance and conditions for offenders postrelease. Little, however, is offered in terms of assessment guidelines on how to make such determinations. As a result, police officers discretionary behaviors and additional legal factors play a key role in these determinations. Our findings advance the idea that "uncertainty" is the central object to be managed, and further complicate how risk is constructed and mobilized by suggesting that risk assessments result in over-precautionary practices.

Police Officers’ addiction frameworks and policy attitudes

Police officers have frequent encounters with people who use drugs, either by making an arrest for a drug-related offense or responding to a drug overdose call. Yet, little is known about how police officers view drug addiction – as a disease, a moral failure, or something else – and how their frameworks for conceptualizing addiction impact their attitudes toward drug policies, including the use of naloxone. This research examined police officers’ adherence to a moralistic addiction framework in relation to their support for treatment-oriented drug policies. Officers (N = 618) were surveyed about their beliefs on drug policy and the extent to which drug addiction was a product of one’s morals or related to social or biological reasons. Results found that approximately 22% of the variance in drug policy attitudes could be explained by addiction frameworks and control variables. Officers who embraced a biological perspective of addiction were more supportive of policies that expanded treatment, including access to naloxone, and less punitive sanctions. Those with stronger moralistic views were less supportive of expanding treatment initiatives and endorsed expanding punitive sanctions. Officer age and education was positively related with expanding treatment and naloxone use while exposure to overdoses was negatively related to policy support. These results demonstrate that officers’ frameworks about drug addiction play an important role in drug policy attitudes and, by extension, how they might interact with people who use drugs.

The good, the bad and the ugly of eyewitness identification practice in police officers – a self-report survey study

ABSTRACT Witness identification practice of the police plays a critical role in the criminal proceedings. The current study examines police officers’ knowledge regarding factors affecting witness memory as well as witness interview and identification practices in Taiwan, after relevant judicial reform had been implemented for more than a decade. A total of 499 police officers in Taiwan participated in the survey to report their knowledge and actual practice of eyewitness interview and identification. The findings revealed strengths as well as weaknesses in their current practice. More disconcertingly, most (87.8%) of them did not receive relevant training, and those who received training scored lower in both eyewitness knowledge and witness identification practice than those who received no training. These findings suggested that operations of eyewitness identification were not completely in line with recommended best practice outlined in recent Judicial Reform and that the current training need to be improved to increase its effectiveness.

Police officers’ role orientations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine police officers’ attitudes toward community policing and order maintenance, as well as the facets of the work environment that impact those attitudes. Design/methodology/approach Survey data come from a sample of officers in a mid-sized police department. Ordinary least squares regression modeling is used to examine community-policing, order-maintenance and law-enforcement role orientations. Findings Officers endorse community partnerships, but are less enthusiastic about order maintenance. They also display mid-level support for traditional law enforcement. Work–environment variables have inconsistent impacts across the three role orientations. Research limitations/implications This was a survey of attitudes in one department. Future research should examine officers’ involvement in community-policing and order-maintenance activities and any impediments to such activities. Practical implications The findings have implications for police leaders seeking to implement community policing and ensure street-level officers are carrying out partnership and order-maintenance activities. In particular, top management must foster a positive work environment and personally model commitment to policing innovations. Originality/value This paper adds to the currently sparse body of literature on officer attitudes toward community policing and order maintenance, and incorporates traditional law-enforcement attitudes as a point of contrast. This paper advances the scholarly understanding of police officers’ role orientations.

Police officer transitions to retirement in the United Kingdom: social identity, social support, and (in)justice

ABSTRACT This article draws on qualitative interviews to examine police officers’ experiences of transitioning to retirement in the United Kingdom, a matter that has been hitherto under researched. We find that the well-established routines and the social identity conferred by the police role are severed at retirement and the transition to retirement may be experienced as disruptive. This has implications for self-esteem, access to support, and perceptions of fairness of the organisation. However, we further argue that retirement is a multidimensional concept and experienced differently, depending on the context and circumstances in which it occurs. When officers are underprepared or retired for medical reasons, the transition was especially disruptive. The article makes important contributions to the literature on police officer social identity, well-being, and organisational justice.