Police Organizations Research Articles

Police Officers Perceived Levels of Organizational Stress, Operational Stress, and Coping Strategies in San Jose, Antique, Philippines

Police service is considered difficult and commonly regarded as a high-stress profession. Police officers deal with numerous complex daily challenges and must make split-second judgments. Thus, it is vital to investigate and assess law enforcement officers' operational stress, organizational stress, and coping strategies, as they are linked to their performance in the police organization. In this research, a descriptive-correlational study was employed using a purposive sampling method with police officers from the Municipal Police Station of San Jose de Buenavista in the Province of Antique, Philippines. The findings revealed that police officers could handle work-related issues caused by various stressors, whether in their operational or organizational functions. Furthermore, police officers can cope moderately with stress, indicating they can manage and deal with it effectively. Additionally, demographic groups perceive similar work stress for operational and organizational functions, including coping strategies. Finally, police officers' coping mechanisms often become influenced by operational and organizational stress. With this, the present study's findings strongly support the notion that operational and organizational stressors are fundamental to policing; as a result, police officers may adopt more effective coping strategies to combat the impacts of stress and enhance their work-related well-being. Police personnel may benefit from interventions and programs to reduce the effects of occupational stress.

“Insufficient guidance and a lack of preparation”: Police academy training and the reality of police work

Police academy training is the foundation of police performance. In Australia, police academy programmes are usually delivered internally by police officers and are underpinned by traditional policing practices and acceptable methods of response deemed suitable. There is little research, however, which determines whether Australian police academies adequately prepare recruits to conduct police work or prime recruits for the reality of policing. Analysing data collected from 46 constables working in one of the largest Australian police organisations, this research offers original insight into a previously under-research area regarding the effectiveness of police academy training in preparing recruits for general-duties police work.

Police reform and organization development: Assessment and outcomes

Police reform and organization development: Assessment and outcomes

Explaining Police Procedural Justice in a Democracy: An Expanded Internal-External Model

Since procedural justice was proposed, this vein of research has gained much popularity in scholarship, empirical supports, and theoretical advancement. Yet, research on the procedural fairness within police organizations, particularly on the underlying and mediating mechanisms between internal and external procedural justice, remains understudied. Relying on survey data collected from Taiwanese police officers, this study expands the current literature by testing the direct relationships between supervisor, organizational, and social supports and external procedural justice and their indirect connections through supervisor trustworthiness and self-legitimacy. Supervisor and social supports were found to directly boost officers’ commitment to external procedural justice. Perceived organizational support promotes external procedural justice through cultivating officer self-legitimacy. This study concludes by discussing cross-border research and pragmatic implications for police training and management.

Development of Career Patterns of Civil Servants in the Human Resources Staff Unit of the National Police

The existence of civil servants in the National Police institution is something unique and distinctive because in the National Police organization, the position of civil servants is in one organization with the National Police in all units of the National Police in charge of carrying out administrative activities and tasks that require special expertise to support the activities of the National Police. For civil servants of the National Police, personnel regulations apply to the National Police and personnel regulations regulated by BKN. The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes of the lack of optimal implementation of career patterns for civil servants in the Human Resources Staff (SSDM) of the National Police and provide a description related to career pattern models that are more professional and appropriate for civil servants in SSDM Polri which can be used as a career pattern model for National Police Civil Servants. This research uses a mix method approach, quantitative data collection which is then deepened qualitatively through interviews, observations and collection of supporting documents. The result is that the career pattern of civil servants in the Human Resources Staff Work Unit is constrained by human resource management governance in the aspects of planning, organizing, procuring and directing, developing and integrating. A more provective career pattern model obtained from the results of discussion and analysis in this study is the placement of civil servants in predetermined functional and structural positions, the implementation of internships for employees who newly recruited, implementation of performance evaluation for promotion followed by attending education and training in accordance with the field of work, providing space and opportunities to actualize themselves to the duties and responsibilities that given in order to be promoted to the top posotion intended for civil servant after attending a series of education and training for competency development.

Dilemma In Superiority: Rank, Grandiosity, And Aggression Among Men In Uniform

Aggressive, fierce, and grandiose are the words that are often associated with our men in uniform. Law enforcement officers have enough authority and power that can be used against citizens. They are being severely stigmatized by these controversies, and people are generalizing police organizations. Despite the effort to protect the country, it was reciprocated with prejudice and misconception. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of aggression and grandiosity in terms of sex and rank; also to find out if there is a significant relationship between rank, grandiosity, and aggression. The researchers used purposive sampling to choose the respondents. The participants are policemen who have a position and/or rank in a certain PNP office and are available during the conduct of the on-site survey. A set of research questionnaires were distributed to the Philippine National Police of General Santos City-Camp Lira with a total of 55 participants. The responses were analyzed through the use of SPSS. Multiple regression analysis proves that the variables rank, grandiosity, and aggression are significant, < 0.001, and reject the null hypothesis. Additionally, through deeper analysis, only the variables aggression and grandiosity have a significant relationship.

경찰에 대한 시민의 인식에 미치는 미디어의 영향 연구

Police are constantly being judged by the citizens. A series of images of the police are formed in repetitive evaluations, and it is very important to maintain a positive image of the police performing their duties through direct or indirect contact with citizens. In particular, the media has a great influence on the formation of a police image today. In this study, the effect of media on citizens' perceptions of the police was verified, and specific analysis was conducted by subdividing the types of media.
 As a result of the study, it was found that the positive image of the police secured from TV news, Internet articles, and SNS services among media types has a positive (+) effect on citizens' perception of the police. On the other hand, the film has little effect on citizens' perception of the police. In other words, it was confirmed that the image of the police obtained through the media had a different effect on citizens' perception of the police depending on the type.
 Even now, police organizations are implementing various policies to manage the police image depicted in the media. Regarding SNS services, the “principle of using SNS for police officials” was also enacted to inform members of the organization that posts posted privately can always be publicized by the media and affect the entire police organization. However, the image of the police through the media is ultimately a matter for all police officers to take responsibility together. Complying with police ethics at every moments will be the most fundamental solution to form a positive police image.

MZ세대 초기경력 경찰공무원의 직업정체성 구성에 대한 합의적 질적 연구

The purpose of this study is to investigate the process of constructing vocational identity based on the vocational awareness and experience of early career police officers of generation MZ. This study analyzed by applying consensual qualitative research-modified(CQR-M) based on open-ended questionnaires were received from 55 generation MZ police officers up to 5 years of experience. The process of constructing vocational identity of the research participants was revealed 5 areas, 10 categories, and 33 subcategories, and the results of the study are as follows. First, the research participants longed for the police and chose their vocation for reasons such as ‘police is my dream’,‘consideration of aptitude’,‘essential part of society’. Second, after becoming police officers, the professional pride of the research participants through ‘social recognition’,‘positive feedback of gratitude for help’, and ‘joy of family’ promoted the internalization of identity, on the other hand, the professional pride gradually disappeared as they suffered emotional exhaustion from the ‘negative public opinion about police’,‘the victim of criticism of civil petitioners’,‘police universalism’, and ‘high ethical standards for the police’. Third, through job experience, the research participants made ambivalent evaluations on the unique job characteristics of police officers and the advantages and disadvantages of civil servants. They showed experience conflict with vocational identity due to difficulties in adjusting to a hierarchical organization and an uncomfortable atmosphere. Fourth, even in the process of adjustment, the research participants gained strength through ‘helper′s salvation’, and experienced the process of compromise and acceptance while realistically adjusting their vocational identities through ‘improvement of adaptability and survival strategy’. Finally, the result of reconstructing the vocational identity as a police officer is ‘happy police officers as a person’ or ‘police officers serving the people’. They were drawing an optimistic future through efforts to do their best in each context of individual life and professional role, but to take in a balance way. The significance of this study is in that it deeply analyzed the process of constructing vocational identity by applying the characteristics of the generation MZ, which has been mainly studied as a discourse, to police officers. Based on the results of the study, implications for the mutual positive development of generation MZ police officers and organizations were suggested.

Community Policing in Rural Parts of Slovenia in the time of COVID-19

The focus of community policing is directly on the local community and encompasses various crime reduction and crime preventive initiatives developed and initiated through the interaction of police and local citizens. The history of the development of community policing in Slovenia has shown that, for a thriving community policing approach, police officers had to work actively and hard for many years and cooperate with local leaders and citizens from both rural and urban local communities in various ways to make positive progress. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed police activities and interfered with community policing throughout Slovenia, especially in its rural regions. This article reviews the organization of community policing in eight rural Slovene police directorates. Interviews were conducted with community policing authorities at regional and local levels in all eight police directorates. We found that community policing changed significantly during the pandemic (e.g. use of Facebook, Zoom) and decreased, because police officers were occupied with performing other tasks (e.g. security measures related to the epidemiological situation). The most disadvantaged communities were located in rural areas, where contacts with citizens were almost completely cut off. Unfortunately, the most significant obstacle to community policing practices is long-term staffing shortages of the Slovenian police.

Rape myth acceptance among Croatian and Cypriot police officers

This article draws on a survey involving 390 police officers from Croatia and Cyprus, where the officers’ views on rape and rape myths are measured via the updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. In all, the findings stress that police officers do not buy-in the full array of the rape mythology, but only a part of it. Also, female officers, as opposed to male, appear to be more sensitive towards victimhood resulting from rape. Furthermore, the overall study findings complement findings recorded overseas, in other police organizations, attached to and influenced by different backgrounds and forces at work.

A feasibility study of psychological first aid as a supportive intervention among police officers exposed to traumatic events.

Police officers are often exposed to traumatic events, which can induce psychological distress and increase the risk of developing post-traumatic stress injuries. To date, little is known about support and prevention of traumatic events in police organizations. Psychological first aid (PFA) has been promoted as a promising solution to prevent psychological distress following exposure to a traumatic event. However, PFA has not yet been adapted to policing reality, let alone to the frequent exposure to traumatic events faced by this population. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of PFA as an early intervention for the prevention of post-traumatic stress injuries among police officers in Quebec, Canada. Specifically, the objectives were to evaluate: (1) the demand. (2) the practicality, and (3) the acceptability of PFA in a police organization. A feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the implementation of PFA among Quebec's provincial police force. To do so, 36 police officers participated in semi-structured interviews between October 26th, 2021, and July 23rd, 2022. Participants were comprised of responders (n = 26), beneficiaries (n = 4) and managers (n = 6). Interviews were transcribed, coded, and evaluated according to a thematic analysis. Eleven themes emerged from participants' responses. Results suggested that PFA met individual and organizational needs. References were also made regarding the impacts of this intervention. Moreover, participants provided feedback for improving the implementation and sustainability of a PFA program. All three groups of participants shared similar thematic content. Findings revealed that implementation of a PFA program in a law enforcement agency was feasible and could be accomplished without major issues. Importantly, PFA had beneficial consequences within the organization. Specifically, PFA destigmatized mental health issues and renewed a sense of hope among police personnel. These findings are in line with previous research.

UNDERSTANDING AND IMPROVING THE PREVENTION OF PEOPLE TRAFFICKING THROUGH OBSERVATION AT CLASS I IMMIGRATION OFFICE NON TPI BEKASI

Trafficking in persons is a serious threat to human rights that requires effective preventive measures. This study applies the observation method to explore efforts to prevent trafficking in persons at the Immigration Office Class I Non TPI Bekasi. Observations were made to reveal prevention practices in real contexts, interactions between officers and the public, as well as the impact of prevention programs.
 
 The observation results indicate that the Immigration Office has adopted various strategies to prevent trafficking in persons. Through the document inspection process, officers carefully identify potential falsification of identity and travel documentation. Outreach programs play an important role in increasing the awareness and understanding of the public and officials about trafficking in persons.
 The interaction between officers and the community seems to be going well, with the community responding positively to prevention efforts. Observations also reveal that cooperation with external agencies, such as the police and non-governmental organizations, plays a role in sharing information and handling cases.
 However, the observations also identified challenges, such as the existence of complex situations and the dynamics of cross-border corridors. Observations indicate that policy adaptation and improvement of prevention practices can contribute to overcoming this challenge.
 Taking into account the results of observations, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the prevention of trafficking in persons at the Immigration Office Class I Non TPI Bekasi. The practical implications of this research involve improving prevention processes, increasing the effectiveness of outreach programs, and developing cross-sectoral collaboration. As such, observation emerges as an important method of understanding and strengthening efforts to prevent trafficking in persons in this environment.

The beginnings of the history of English and Hungarian policing and criminal justice

Aim: The aim of the study is to explore, analyse and compare the beginnings of English and Hungarian policing, the system of public administration that comprised it, and the characteristics of criminal justice from the Middle Ages to the establishment of professional police organisations.Methodology: The publication relies on the relevant literature in English and Hungarian and on a wide range of sources. Among other things, it uses data from a work on the history of the police in a small town near Liverpool, based on original sources.Findings: Historical specificities determine the development of a country’s law enforcement institutions. This is the main explanation for the many similarities between English and Hungarian organisations and institutions in pursuance of examining the medieval history of law enforcement. However, due to the different pace of industrial and civil development, and the preservation of feudal relations in Hungary, there are significant differences in the formation of English and Hungarian professional police organisations. In the United Kingdom, the various decentralised police forces were created as a grassroots initiative based on the demand of the citizens, while in Hungary the centralised state police was created from above (otherwise using the London model). This certainly played (plays) a role in the different perception of the police in the two countries, too.Value: Although there are relatively many studies on the prehistory of Western European countries’ police forces, and for some time this has also been true for the history of Hungarian policing, there is relatively scarce comparative historical research. And the specific topic under discussion here has, to the authors’ knowledge, never been examined in such detail.

Features of interaction between law enforcement agencies during the investigation of criminal offenses according to international standards

The purpose of the research was to highlight the interaction between law enforcement agencies during the investigation of crimes in accordance with international standards. It also highlights the main areas of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in different States during the investigation of criminal offenses. Taking into account the great public danger of criminal offenses, it is worth noting that they have long since acquired a transnational character and it is therefore interesting to pay special attention to the issue of cooperation between the National Police of Ukraine and various international police organizations in the investigation of this category of criminal offenses. The methodological basis of the research is presented as comparative-legal and systematic analysis, formal-legal method, method of interpretation, hermeneutic method, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis. Among the main conclusions, it draws attention to the necessity of the issue of strengthening cooperation between the operational units of the National Police of Ukraine engaged in the fight against criminal offenses and international police bodies engaged in operational and investigative activities, as a condition of possibility to combat crime in all its manifestations.

‘Bread and butter’ policing: first-year constables and domestic violence

ABSTRACT Domestic violence is an extensive social issue in Australia. It is a complex crime encompassing different behaviours and situations, which challenge police in terms of recognition and response, as well as determining appropriate outcomes of justice. During their first year of police work (whilst being evaluated under competency measures), first-year constables in Australia are frequently deployed to respond to public calls for help. As such, they are regularly sent to investigate domestic violence. Yet knowledge regarding the effectiveness of first-year constables in their response to domestic violence and policing of these crimes is lacking in much of the policing literature. This article focuses on policing of domestic violence from the perspective of first-year constables working in one of the largest Australian state police organisations (de-identified as part of the ethics agreement). It examines the findings from 46 interviews and offers insight into a hitherto under-researched area regarding policing of domestic violence by officers at the start of their policing career.

Police legitimacy and culture revisited through the lens of self-legitimacy

ABSTRACT This conceptual article contributes to the scientific debate on police culture and police legitimacy by exploring and refining the concept of self-legitimacy. It argues that endogenously constructed self-legitimacy co-produces and reinforces certain core characteristics of police culture. ‘Self-legitimacy’ in this context is the degree to which those in power believe in the moral justice of their power. Endogenous self-legitimation processes occur when officers identify with the professional police identity and the police organisation, and self-legitimacy is brought about by those in power attributing unique characteristics to themselves and seeking validation from an inner circle of similar power-holders. Drawing on the analysis, suggestions are made on how police culture and police legitimacy can be influenced by facilitating a shift in officers’ perception of their ‘professional identity’.

A qualitative exploration of stress in a criminal investigations section

ABSTRACT Traditional literature on stress in policing focuses on patrol officers and generalizes findings to other sections and ranks within the department. This fails to take into consideration that different sections may experience and manage stress in various ways. Following Dabney and colleagues (2013) examination of homicide investigators, the current study employs deductive coding to examine interviews from 21 investigators from financial, property, domestic violence, persons, and child crimes in the Criminal Investigations Section of a mid-sized Southwestern, United States police department. Findings were able to both replicate and expand upon Dabney and colleagues (2013) results, suggesting that even in a department that varies demographically and operationally from the original department, these investigators were exposed to and afflicted by many of the same stressors. While some of these stressors were similar to their patrol officer counterparts, investigators were further impacted by sources of stress that are unique to their specific role in the police organization (e.g., heavy caseloads, prolonged exposure to trauma, additional involvement with other criminal justice actors). Research and practical implications for departments – both international and domestic – in managing investigator stress are discussed.

STANDARDIZATION IN COMBATING CYBERCRIME AREA

Cybercrime is an area where improving the effectiveness and interaction of law enforcementagencies is becoming increasingly important today. Standards, understood as technical documentscontaining rules, guidelines or definitions, can be used for this purpose. The article characterisesthe different standards and the standardisation organisations responsible for their development. Itthen presents the common standards operating in the field of cybercrime, in particular, those thatcan be implemented by any organisation that decides to take steps for a so-called 'incidentresponse'. Against this backdrop, a standard linked to the conduct of criminal investigations ischaracterised in more detail, which provides guidance for the handling of digital evidence and canbe used by police organisations to increase the effectiveness of their operations and improveinteroperability. Finally, the results of a study on priority standardisation domains in the area ofcybercrime were presented. These domains were developed based on standardisation proposalsmade by law enforcement representatives from European countries and then prioritised in terms ofimportance and urgency. The resulting recommendations should serve as a basis forstandardisation work in the near future.

Rural Policing: Change and Continuity

In this paper changes in rural policing in the Netherlands over the past few decades are investigated. This study is an example of oral history, using interviews with rural police officers. The main changes in rural policing are related to different issues: organization of rural policing, views about police work, local knowledge and commitment, relations with local communities, and style of policing. This study shows that since the 1980s the Dutch police have gradually withdrawn from the countryside. Not much is left of the strong traditional position of the police in rural communities. Notwithstanding these developments, the rural police has partially kept is distinctive characteristic in policing style, which makes it different from the police that is often found in urban areas. Larger social density, less anonymity, stronger sense of community, and more social control are among the factors that have contributed to the continuity in the styles of rural policing. Still it looks as if a shift is being made to a different kind of policing in rural regions: less socially embedded, mainly operating from the outside, not as an integral elements of the local community, and generally operating reactively, only after an incident happened.

Governing Police Discretion Through a Craft Learning Model

In this article, we build on some of our previous empirical research to develop the value, logic and nature of the craft learning model, as an alternative to the dominant, administrative rulemaking paradigm for governing patrol officer discretion. We do this by conceptualizing the craft model in relation to Egon Bittner’s observations on two distinct mechanisms of police organization and control: legality and workmanship. Second, we illustrate the largely overlooked potential of body-worn cameras for learning about and advancing craft knowledge and skills. And third, we address three challenges to what we propose and consider how these might be mitigated or overcome: (1) resistance from the police culture; (2) the limited role of first-line supervisors; and (3) the current lack of community participation in guiding street-level decision-making. Our overarching purpose is to encourage advocates of police reform to explore new models that account for the complex technical and normative dimensions of everyday policing and facilitate more reasoned, transparent and principled decision-making on the front lines.