Police Force Research Articles

The role of trust in Belarusian societal mobilization (2020–2021)

Social trust is believed to be beneficial to societal mobilization and the participation in protests. At the same time, state performance, notably of state power structures during instances of social and political protest and change, has an impact on the public perception of and trust in these institutions as well as the assessment of their legitimacy. The police are the most visible manifestation of state authority, which has become particularly apparent during post-electoral protests in Belarus in 2020, when their performance directly influenced and determined further societal mobilization. Based on a mixed-methods design, drawing on interview and survey data, this contribution seeks to shed light on the role of trust in societal mobilization during instances of protest and change in Belarus between 2020 and 2021. One of the main findings is that repression by the regime and its police forces affected both institutional trust and the level of protest mobilization. Protest participation in turn correlates with an increase in social trust.

Institutional distrust trap: an analysis of the effect of public distrust in the Nigeria Police Force

ABSTRACT This article explores an effect of distrust of the police – unwillingness to rely on them for security and justice – on policing dynamics in contemporary Nigeria using a qualitative research design. It argues that policing according to formal prescriptions such as the Criminal Procedure Act is virtually impossible in contemporary Nigeria because of this pervasive public distrust. At the same time, police officers resort to informal processes that further undermine public trust in the criminal justice system and create a self-defeating cycle that allows many to justify support for or active participation in illegal forms of crime control, including lynching by mobs and extra-legal killing by security forces. This proposition is significant for policing studies in two ways. Firstly, it suggests a trust threshold that, when breached, leads to policing collapse. Despite widespread distrust, many police forces maintain order. Secondly, it reveals how distrust perpetuates itself, even amid attempts at reform in various countries.

Policing WorldPride: gatekeepers at the festival turnstiles

ABSTRACT The violent and contested overpolicing of LGBTQI+ communities at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has a long and visible history which has been amplified through intensified drug policing over the last two decades. This article scrutinises police practices during Sydney WorldPride events in February and March 2023, which included Mardi Gras events. It draws on a unique data set drawn from the NSW Police Force and an independent legal observer initiative, ‘Fair Play’, that provided support for policed people at WorldPride. We ask: What do police practices tell us about the exercise of police power over LGBTQI+ people at WorldPride? Our study found intensive and aggressive high-visibility policing characterised by invasive questioning and drug detection dog patrols, and humiliating and potentially unlawful searches. The impacts illustrate how policing criminalises and gatekeeps belonging to sexual and gender-diverse communities.

Managing investigative interviews with vulnerable suspects in the UK: do specialist interview managers (IM’s) understand vulnerability?

ABSTRACT An Interview Manager (IM) is required to provide strategic advice to both a Senior Investigating Officer and the interview team on matters relating to suspect management in high stake investigations. This paper explored the perceptions of the IM with regard to what vulnerability is and the functionality of their role during their deployment with vulnerable suspects. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 53 IMs from 16 separate UK Police Forces together with IMs from 2 UK Counter Terrorism Units and a National Crime Unit. Overall, the responses indicated that there was lack of, (i) understanding of what constituted vulnerability in the context of the criminal justice system, (ii) understanding of the AA role and (iii) training regarding specific vulnerabilities and their impact on the investigative interview. These combined issues leave the vulnerable suspect as risk of the failure to receive a fair trial and a potential miscarriage of justice. More training and support should be provided at a national level and with their respective organisations.

Can Social Media Reach Isolated Domestic Abuse Victims? Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial During the Covid-19 Lockdown

Abstract Research Questions Can social media reach isolated domestic abuse victims? Secondly, does providing victims with more information and a safer means of contacting police change their likelihood of domestic abuse reporting? Data This research is based on high-frequency and confidential administrative data on the population of domestic abuse calls during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic but also the preceding years from two police forces—the Thames Valley Police (TVP) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Methods To answer the research questions, we ran a randomized control trial (RCT) using a novel social media campaign promoting a method of reporting through Facebook and Instagram. We randomized the treatment across geographic areas in one police force and across individuals in another police force. Findings We found that while social media is an effective tool for engaging on domestic abuse topics, particularly with younger individuals, our intention-to-treat estimates between the treatment and control areas and individuals did not show any significant difference in domestic abuse reporting. One of the reasons to explain this finding was the geographically imprecise social media targeting features on Facebook. Conclusions Our research contributes to the scarce experimental literature on how to increase domestic abuse reporting among victims with, to the best of our knowledge, the first randomized test of the effects of a social media campaign on engagement and reporting. As police forces across the UK, but also worldwide, start using social media more to engage with the citizens they serve, these results provide interesting and valuable implications for their effectiveness and the role of technology in the future policing. Our results contribute to the understanding of how police forces can use social media to reach specific groups of people, such as younger cohorts.

Challenges and Perspectives of Communication Between Members of the Police Force and Members of Foreign Nationalities Living in Slovakia

The current paper sheds light on challenges and perspectives of communication between the members of the Police Force and the members of national minorities currently present in the territory of the Slovak Republic. By presenting the relevant legal frameworks at the national, European and international levels, the author provides a closer look at the legislative and institutional definition of the use of the minority languages in the official and also day-to-day communication between the respective groups — members of the Police Force and members of the national minorities — while pointing out the needs of the organisational units of the Police Force in relation to language competence of the employees of District Directorates and Local Police Departments across Slovakia. Based on data obtained from a questionnaire survey conducted by the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for National Minorities, the author analyses the current situation and problematic areas of communication with members of national minorities living in Slovakia from the perspective of members of the Police Force.StreszczenieNiniejszy artykuł rzuca światło na wyzwania i perspektywy komunikacji między członkami sił policyjnych a członkami mniejszości narodowych obecnych na terytorium Republiki Słowackiej. Przedstawiając odpowiednie ramy prawne na poziomie krajowym, europejskim i międzynarodowym, autor przedstawia bliższe spojrzenie na legislacyjną i instytucjonalną definicję używania języków mniejszości w oficjalnej, a także codziennej komunikacji między odpowiednimi grupami - członkami sił policyjnych i członkami mniejszości narodowych, wskazując jednocześnie na potrzeby jednostek organizacyjnych sił policyjnych w odniesieniu do kompetencji językowych pracowników dyrekcji okręgowych i lokalnych oddziałów policji na Słowacji. Na podstawie danych uzyskanych z badania ankietowego przeprowadzonego przez Biuro Pełnomocnika Rządu Republiki Słowackiej ds. Mniejszości Narodowych, autor analizuje obecną sytuację i problematyczne obszary komunikacji z członkami mniejszości narodowych mieszkających na Słowacji z perspektywy członków Sił Policyjnych.ResumenEl presente artículo arroja luz sobre los retos y las perspectivas de la comunicación entre los miembros de las fuerzas policiales y los miembros de las minorías nacionales que residen en el territorio de la República Eslovaca. El presente artículo arroja luz sobre los retos y las perspectivas de la comunicación entre los miembros de las fuerzas policiales y los miembros de las minorías nacionales que residen en el territorio de la República Eslovaca. Mediante la presentación del marco jurídico vigente a nivel nacional, europeo e internacional, el autor presenta una visión más detallada de la definición legislativa e institucional del uso de las lenguas minoritarias en la comunicación oficial y cotidiana entre los diversos grupos (miembros de las fuerzas policiales y miembros de las minorías nacionales), señalando al mismo tiempo las necesidades de las unidades organizativas de los cuerpos policiales en lo que respecta a la competencia lingüística de los empleados de las direcciones de policía provinciales y locales de Eslovaquia. Basándose en los datos obtenidos de una encuesta realizada por la Oficina del Plenipotenciario del Gobierno para las Minorías Nacionales de la República Eslovaca, el autor analiza la situación actual y los ámbitos problemáticos de la comunicación con los miembros de las minorías nacionales que viven en Eslovaquia desde la perspectiva de los miembros de las Fuerzas Policiales.ZusammenfassungIn diesem Artikel werden die Herausforderungen und Perspektiven der Kommunikation zwischen Mitgliedern der Polizeikräfte und der nationalen Minderheiten geschildert, die das Gebiet der Slowakischen Republik bewohnen. Der Artikel stellt die relevanten rechtlichen Rahmen auf nationaler, europäischer und internationalen Ebene dar und zeigt eine detaillierte legislative und institutionelle Definition des Gebrauchs von Minderheitensprachen, sowohl in der offiziellen als auch in der alltäglichen Kommunikation zwischen den betroffenen Gruppen: Angehörige der Polizeikräfte und nationaler Minderheiten. Gleichzeitig werden die Bedürfnisse der Organisationseinheiten der Polizeikräfte im Hinblick auf die Sprachkompetenzen der Mitarbeiter der Bezirksdirektionen und lokalen Abteilungen der Polizei in der Slowakei hervorgehoben. Die gegenwärtige Situation wurde aufgrund der aus der Umfrage gewonnenen Daten analysiert, die vom Büro des Regierungsbevollmächtigten für nationale Minderheiten der Slowakischen Republik durchgeführt wurde. Daruber hinaus wurden auch die problematischen Bereiche der Kommunikation mit den Angehörigen nationaler Minderheiten in der Slowakei aus der Sicht von Mitgliedern der Polizeikräfte ausführlich beschrieben.РезюмеВ статье представлены вызовы и перспективы общения между сотрудниками полиции и представителями национальных меньшинств, проживающих на территории Словацкой Республики. На основе соответствующей правовой базы на национальном, европейском и международном уровнях представлено подробное законодательное и институциональное определение использования языков меньшинств в официальном и повседневном общении между соответствующими группами: сотрудниками полиции и представителями национальных меньшинств, указывая одновременно потребности организационных подразделений полиции в плане языковой компетенции сотрудников районных и местных полицейских управлений в Словакии. На основе данных, полученных в результате опроса, проведенного Бюро Уполномоченного правительства по делам национальных меньшинств Словацкой Республики, были проанализированы текущая ситуация и проблемные сферы общения с представителями национальных меньшинств, проживающих в Словакии, с точки зрения сотрудников полиции.

Archaeology of Repression in Latin America

This study was undertaken during the October Revolt, a period of demonstrations, discontent with the government and confrontations between protesters and the police (Carabineros de Chile) and armed forces. We used archaeological tools to shed light on clashes between the police forces demonstrators, and on the ways this conflict took shape. Our analysis refers to locations that we call Sites of Demonstration and Protest (SDP) and Nuclei of Repression and Self-Defense (NRS).

“Hot, dumpster fire, mess”: Police personnel perceptions of the current state of mental health in law enforcement

An abundance of research has focused on police personnel stress and interventions that may reduce the consequences of that stress. What have received less attention, however, are police personnel's perceptions of stress and mental health generally, as well as their perceptions of social norms and departmental views of mental health. Leveraging brief one-on-one interviews conducted with 75 sworn and civilian police personnel of a Southwestern police department, the current study examined police personnel's perceptions about the current state of mental health in law enforcement. In addition, respondents provided insights into injunctive social norms, specifically what they believe their peers think about mental health. Results indicate negative overall perceptions of mental health in policing, from both personal and peer perspectives. Further, respondents highlighted a generational gap in their peers that likely impacted their views on the topic. Implications for policing practice, research, and policy are discussed.

Effect of Motivation on Job Satisfaction and Performance: A Study of Nigeria Police Force

The study examined the Effect of Motivation strategies on Job satisfaction and performance: A Study of Nigeria Police Force. Data were elicited using questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The responses were analysed using both simple and multiple linear regressions. Findings revealed that the promotion strategy has a significant impact on motivation and performance, while the other two variables (police training and retraining strategy, and donation of operational vehicles) do not show a statistically significant relationship at the conventional alpha level of 0.05. Overall, the findings indicate that the promotion strategy has a stronger influence on job satisfaction and performance in the Nigeria Police Force compared to the other strategies (training and re-training and donation of operational vehicle) examined. Focus on enhancing and improving the promotion strategy within the Nigeria Police Force, as it has shown to have a significant impact on motivation and performance. The study recommends that the management of NPF should consider ways to make the promotion process transparent, fair, and rewarding for deserving officers. While police training and retraining strategies and the donation of operational vehicles did not show a statistically significant relationship with job satisfaction and performance, it is still important to continue investing in these areas to ensure that officers have the necessary skills and resources to perform their duties effectively. Implement a holistic approach to improving motivation and performance by considering a combination of strategies that address various aspects of officer well-being and job satisfaction, such as provision of effective operational vehicle, worklife balance, leadership support, and career development opportunities.

Police oversight in practice: the Special Investigations Unit and civilian police oversight in Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of Ontario is a civilian police oversight agency responsible for investigating serious incidents involving police officers and civilians, with the power to charge police officers with criminal offences. Created in 1990, the SIU is considered a pioneer in civilian-led oversight, however, little is known about how the SIU conducts investigations, the complainants in these investigations, and the routine work of this oversight agency. This article examines a variety of indicators to document the work and activity of the SIU, illustrating important aspects of the agency’s performance in the process. Important trends regarding the nature of police misconduct, violence, and use of lethal force are analysed. Our study uncovers previously unknown trends regarding complainants in SIU investigations, including the prevalence of certain characteristics like known mental health disabilities and the relationship between the substantiation of complaints by the SIU and the criminal activity of the complainant. This study empirically documents the nature of police cooperation with oversight. By analysing different indicators of agency performance and work, this study makes an important contribution to the study of police oversight in general, and the findings hold value for understanding police use of force, the nature of police criminality and misconduct, and the functioning of civilian police oversight in practice.

Republican Policing: From Consent to Contestation

Policing by consent is an influential frame of reference for police forces, policy makers, and members of the public in appraising the means and ends of law enforcement in Anglo-American societies. The doctrine is nonetheless vulnerable to powerful philosophical and political objections, which suggests that an alternative paradigm is necessary. This article draws on recent republican political theory in elaborating a doctrine of policing by contestation. This republican conception does not rest the legitimacy of policing on the supposed consent of the policed, but on the availability and adequacy of the means through which the policed can contest arbitrary interference at the hands of the police.

Factors That Influence Urban Recruits’ Persistence to Pursue Police Careers in a Negative Occupational Climate

The decision to become a police officer is often influenced by diverse motivations that vary across individuals. In a negative occupational climate context, understanding the initial motivations of police recruits becomes essential for improving recruitment strategies and informing policy. In this study, we surveyed police academy recruits enrolled in a large urban police academy in Texas to explore their motivations for joining the police force, specifically focusing on different forms of fear associated with the occupation. Our findings reveal significant variations based on demographics, particularly concerning various fears associated with the policing profession. These insights hold crucial implications for recruitment practices and policy-making, providing valuable information for better understanding the factors influencing police recruits’ decision-making processes and contributing to a more informed and practical approach to police recruitment and occupational support.

Differentiating risk: The association between relationship type and risk of repeat victimization of domestic abuse

Abstract Much of the literature on domestic abuse focuses on those in intimate partner relationships or ex-partners, however, in the UK the Home Office definition also includes those in familial relationships. The Domestic Abuse, Stalking, and Harassment and Honour-Based Violence Risk Assessment assumes homogeneous risk factors across all relationships. This paper therefore examines the risk factors for repeat victimization of domestic abuse by relationship type between the victim and perpetrator in a UK police force. Using police-recorded domestic abuse incident and crime data, a logistic regression model found that the most similar repeat victimization risk profiles for 14,519 victims were amongst partners and ex-partners, with both relationships demonstrating the greatest degree of gender asymmetry, compared with other familial relationships. Physical violence was the strongest predictor of repeat victimization and was a statistically significant predictor for ex-partners, partners, and all familial relationships. Coercive behaviour was also a significant predictor for all relationships apart from partners, but not at the same magnitude as physical abuse. Recognizing the difference in risk by relationship type may assist the police in deciding the most appropriate response and interventions to reduce the risk of further harm.

Kepemimpinan transformasional dalam pembentukan Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) Polisi: Kepuasan kerja sebagai mediator

Previous research emphasizes the importance of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) in public institutions, including the police. However, there is limited literature that examines how OCB subtypes are formed. Considering the centrality of the leader figure in the police, this research investigates the role of transformational leadership in the formation of OCB through attitudinal mechanisms, namely job satisfaction. The quantitative research involved 251 participants, chosen via cluster sampling from a single Resort/Departmental Police Force in Indonesia. This participant willingly completed three main scales: the OCB scale, the job satisfaction scale, and the transformational leadership scale. Data processing used mediation analysis with JASP software JASP 0.17.3 (Intel). The results align with previous findings, which stated a significant positive relationship between transformational leadership and OCB, which was mediated by job satisfaction. Furthermore, this research shows that only the OCB-Individual (OCBI) subtype (courtesy and altruism) is related to transformational leadership through the mediation of job satisfaction. Discussions and implications are outlined in detail, both for police institutions and future researchers

Working with dogs in olfactory searches in the French Armed Forces and national Police Forces

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the relationships and cooperation within human-dog teams working in olfactory search in the French Armed Forces and in national Police Forces. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were carried out with canine handlers. The main topic concerned working with their dog during olfactory searches. Among the themes that stand out are relationships with their dog and canine knowledge and practices. Minor differences and similarities between dyads of the two institutions are identified in human-dog relationships. Regarding relationships with dogs, two main differences are linked to the long missions abroad experienced by Armed Forces handlers and the possibility of welcoming dogs into their homes for Police Forces. The constitution of canine knowledge and practices is rooted in experiences and transactions with dogs, but also in social transmission. Even though there is no major differences between the two institutions, this study highlights the interest of having a situated approach.

The Role of the Police Force as a Law Enforcement Agency in Preventing Drug Trafficking in the Sea Routes of North Maluku Province Indonesia

This research aims to examine the role of the police force in enforcing the law on drug trafficking via sea routes in North Maluku Province, Indonesia. It also aims to analyze the factors that hinder the effective law enforcement against drug abuse in North Maluku Province. This was empirical legal research which was conducted by studying the legal reality in the field. Indonesia is a great potential market for drugs. North Maluku province becomes one of the gateways to smuggle drugs into Indonesia via sea routes. Unfortunately, the authorities that have the authority to carry out action or prevention have not performed as expected. Therefore, the involvement of the community, especially fishermen in this area, is a necessity. There must also be the support of other authorities such as the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian National Navy, to prevent the spread of drugs in North Maluku.

Penegakan Hukum Tindak Pidana Peredaran Narkotika oleh Oknum Anggota POLRI

According to Law Number 35 of 2009, narcotics are substances or drugs that come from plants or non-plants, whether synthetic or semi-synthetic, which can cause a decrease or change in consciousness, loss of sensation, reduce to eliminate pain, and can lead to addiction, which is classified into groups as attached in Law Number 35 of 2009. Narcotics abuse has become a very serious issue faced by various countries, both in developed and developing countries, and one of them is Indonesia. Indonesia, which initially served as a transit country for narcotics trade, has now been turned into a destination for operations, transactions, sales, and production by international narcotics networks. This is evidenced by the numerous fields containing marijuana plants and factories producing narcotics discovered by law enforcement agencies. The research method used is a normative juridical research type, in line with the author's intended purpose, the methodology in the design of the thesis research uses two approaches, namely the Statute Approach and the Conceptual Approach. The Statute Approach is an approach carried out by examining all laws with the concept of law. The research results show that the criminal law system against members of the police force involved in narcotics trafficking, the Criminal Code only recognizes a maximum criminal system. It must be acknowledged that the emergence of this special minimum criminal sanction aims to make people afraid to commit acts as formulated in the Psychotropic Law. Problems arise when, in a specific case, the judge feels that this special minimum criminal penalty is still very severe, and law enforcement imposes criminal sanctions specified in Law No. 35 of 2009 on members of the police force who abuse narcotics, also imposing administrative sanctions, which are sanctions imposed by the relevant institution, in accordance with the main task of the police force as stated in Article 13 letter b, namely enforcing the law. Therefore, every member of the police force is required to be able to investigate and prosecute any form of criminal activity, which would be contradictory if a member of the police force commits a criminal act, as the police force should be a role model for society in implementing the law and regulations in force.

Sources Of Information Or Disinformation?

Nowadays, the Internet provides such a wide range of information that it is necessary to address issues of the quality and credibility of the information, as well as the ability of an individual to assess and evaluate its content. Deliberate publication of misleading, out-of-context, or outright false information is becoming an increasingly pressing problem in society. Disinformation present among the population represents an obstacle to implementing constructive solutions to existing problems. The aim of this paper is to create an estimate of the current state, to highlight the importance of the influence of the Internet and social networks on a selected sample of the population, specifically Internet users who claim that the Internet and social networks are their main source of information. The findings in this paper are based on a questionnaire survey carried out in 2023 at the Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava, on a sample of 298 respondents, mostly members of police or security forces.

Correction: Identifying sex trafficking in adult services websites: an exploratory study with a British police force

Correction: Identifying sex trafficking in adult services websites: an exploratory study with a British police force

Disinformation As Part Of Hybrid Threats – Czech-Slovak View

The paper presents a comparative analysis of research on the issue of disinformation among students of two educational institutions in České Budějovice and Bratislava, namely the College of European and Regional Studies (CZ) and the Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava (SK). The research focuses on the comparison of attitudes, abilities, and awareness of disinformation among students from both institutions within their respective educational environments. The data were collected through questionnaire surveys and analysis of specific situations related to disinformation are relevant to security study programmes. Based on the partial results obtained through the questionnaire survey, three key findings emerged. The first finding indicates that almost all respondents confirm having experienced encounters with disinformation. The second finding points to the relatively low ability of the respondents to competently identify disinformation, with only 7.42 % of VŠERS students and 7.91 % of APZ students demonstrating this skill. The third crucial finding suggests that the training of security experts in both institutions needs to be changed and improved, as only 23.44 % of VŠERS students and 25.32 % of APZ students declare being sufficiently informed about the disinformation issue. These findings emphasize the need to upgrade the educational programs and highlight the challenge of increasing students´ awareness and skills related to combating disinformation. This research provides valuable insights for the educational programmes of both institutions and may serve as support for further development of teaching methodologies aimed at enhancing students' abilities to identify and handle the issues concerning spreading disinformation in society.