Police Officers Research Articles

Being Free, Feeling Free: Race, Gender, and Republican Domination

Abstract Members of racial and sexual minorities often live in the fear of arbitrary interference from others—rogue police officers or sexual harassers. Are they unfree by dint of believing they are unfree? I draw on the republican theory of freedom—according to which we are unfree if we are subjected to a risk of arbitrary interference—to offer a qualified positive answer. I clarify the role of probabilistic judgements about risk in republican political theory. I argue that under specific circumstances, diagnoses of republican freedom can be indexed to a certain belief about probability—what it is warranted for someone to believe in light of their distinctive epistemic perspective.

Sisyphus in Court: Moral injury and requests for recognition in the dynamic between the Dutch police organization and their personnel in the wake of work related psychological injuries

When police personnel suffering from work-related psychological injuries seek support and recognition from their organization, a complex dynamic can unfold. This may even be experienced as morally injurious, thus adding to the initial psychological injury. This article delves into this issue in the context of Dutch police personnel, analyzing the narratives of 13 (former) police officers through the theoretical framework of Moral Injury, (mis)recognition, and bureaucracy. Their stories reveal that these officers, having learned to view their organization as their ‘blue family’, yearned for support and recognition, while inherent bureaucratic constraints prevented the police organization from offering genuine recognition. The result was an isolating and existence-denying experience. Bureaucratic logic tends to make the police organization approach recognition-seeking officers as suspects obligated to prove their ‘sick status,’ while it simultaneously creates tendencies to ‘sanitize’ the organization from their illness. Such an interaction becomes a Sisyphean struggle for officers, igniting a 'solidified fight mode' in them and worsening their feelings of misrecognition. Ultimately, this dynamic may be characterized as morally injurious. These findings emphasize the importance of recognition, especially for officers dealing with psychological injuries, and allow us to distinguish between affirmative recognition (perpetuating unhealthy post-injury dynamics) and transformative recognition (changing them toward meaningful change). This study thus advances the understanding of how organizations can both hinder and promote recognition and support, underscoring the pivotal role of transformative recognition to foster healing from the initial psychological injury and prevent moral injury in the injury's aftermath.

The impact of work on the mental health of military police officers: an integrative review

The objective of this review is to identify the current state of knowledge about the impact of military service on the mental health of police officers. Integrative Literature Review type study. To construct the guiding question “What is the state of the art on the impact of work as a military police officer on the mental health of these professionals?”. The following inclusion criteria were used: articles in English, Spanish and Portuguese, published between January 2019 and January 2024, containing the terms raised on the topic. After reading the 13 selected articles in full, they were grouped into three categories, namely: “Risk factors and traumatic experiences”; “Assessment and monitoring of the mental health of military police officers”; and “Prevalence and characteristics of mental disorders in military police officers”. It is clear that more interventions are needed to facilitate the systematic identification and referral of agents to health services, while also addressing their concerns.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) networks: reassembling structure and activity

ABSTRACT Child sexual exploitation perpetrated by organised networks has been a major child protection concern in the UK. This paper uses police investigation files and interviews with police officers to reconstruct and explore the structures and mechanisms underlying offender and victim networks in five cases of network-based CSE perpetrated within UK communities between 2010 and 2021. Using social network analysis and content analysis this paper finds that, while structures vary, most offender networks are loosely connected, lack centres of power and lack structural sophistication. Additionally, examination of the corresponding victim cohorts demonstrates that victims often come from interconnected peer groups intrinsically involved in introducing each other to offender networks. Specific roles in network activity could be identified and matched to both offenders and victims. Statistical analysis shows that an offender’s structural position in the network is related to the specific roles they perform, with different roles showing distinct structural profiles. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT The study suggests that identifying and targeting offenders with specific roles within CSE networks could aid strategic network disruption. However, it is also implied that when it comes to dismantling networks, taking an offender-centred approach may not be the most effective strategy, as they are structured in a way that is resilient to these tactics. Instead, the study proposes that engaging with victim networks could serve as a more effective alternative.

Odnos između povratnih informacija u internoj i eksternoj komunikaciji policije

The study aims to explain what dimensions of the satisfaction of Croatian police officers with internal feedback are predictors of their readiness to explain their actions to citizens. The survey was conducted in 2020 on a convenience sample of 1260 police officers. The questionnaire measures satisfaction with feedback as one of eight dimensions of satisfaction with internal communication and police legitimacy in two dimensions of police and citizen interaction: accountability (citizens) – attitude and behaviour. The purpose is to compare feedback in internal and external police communication and examine to what extent the satisfaction of police officers with feedback contributes to the understanding of their attitudes and behaviour towards explaining actions to citizens. The results indicate the weak predictive power of variables that measure satisfaction with feedback in understanding the attitudes and behaviour of police officers related to explaining their actions to citizens. However, when introduced into the predictor model that contains the criterion variable "Behaviour related to explaining police actions to citizens" is the variable of attitude, the proportion of the variance explained increases significantly. The contribution of the paper is an analysis of the connection between internal and external communication of police officers in Croatia, and communication research is extremely important in police organizations in transition countries that undergo a transition from the traditional policing models to citizen-oriented policing models. A limitation of the paper is that only one aspect of internal communication has been examined in isolation. Therefore, new research should examine the complex nature of internal communication within a police organization in the context of the quality of police officers' relations with citizens, especially in relation to the willingness to explain police actions, as an important dimension of trust in the police.

NEO-PI-3 Descriptive Data for Police Officer Applicants

NEO-PI-3 Descriptive Data for Police Officer Applicants

The Relationship of Training, Work Commitment, and Work Behaviour on Career Development of Police Officers in Jatiasih

The Relationship of Training, Work Commitment, and Work Behaviour on Career Development of Police Officers in Jatiasih

The Mediating Effects of Emotional Intellingence and Training on Performance of Uganda Police Force

The study aimed to investigate the mediating effects of training and EI on the performance of UPF officers with specific reference to analyzing the: effect of training on the performance of UPF officers; effect of EI on the performance of UPF officers.; mediating effect of EI on the relationship between training and performance of UPF officers and; the mediating effect of training on the relationship between EI and performance of UPF officers. This study used a cross-sectional study design with quantitative methods on the officers. By Krejcie & Morgan (1970) a sample of 139 was selected from a population of 290. The study employed a combination of quantitative data collection methods and objectives examined using linear regression models and mediation was carried out using Hayes Process Macro analysis in SPSS22. The null hypothesis that there is a significant positive effect of officer training on the performance of officers and when training is improved, performance will automatically improve was accepted. The null hypothesis that there is a significant positive effect of training on the performance of police officers was accepted (β = 0.207; p<0.05); the null hypothesis that there is a significant positive effect of EI on the performance of officers (β = 0.528; p<0.05) was accepted. Secondly, the null hypothesis that there existed a FULL mediating effect of EI in the relationship between training and officer performance was accepted. In conclusion, UPF should improve the training and also improve their recruitment screening process so as to hire emotionally intelligent officers.

Determinants of Work-Life Balance Among Police Officers: a Systematic Review Study

Objective: This study aims to identify the main factors affecting work-life balance among police officers. Method: This systematic literature review uses Bibliometrix software to identify relevant articles in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 19 articles were selected and analyzed. Results and Discussion: The main factors identified include competitive organizational culture, lack of family-friendly policies, shift rotations, unpredictable schedules, occupational stress, and the absence of supportive measures for work-life balance. These factors significantly impact the physical and psychological well-being of police officers, contributing to issues such as PTSD, chronic fatigue, and job dissatisfaction. Research Implications: Implementing family-friendly policies, ensuring flexible and predictable work schedules, and providing adequate organizational support can significantly improve work-life balance among police officers, leading to greater job satisfaction and the effectiveness of police forces. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by systematically identifying and analyzing the main factors affecting work-life balance among police officers, providing insights into policies and practices to improve their well-being.

Sleep Disorders Linked to Quality of Life in a Sample of Egyptian Policemen a Comparative Study between Shift Workers and Non-Shift Workers

Abstract Background Poor sleep is associated with bad health outcomes, worse wellbeing and decreases in performance, productivity and safety at work. Police officers are exposed to several risk factors including extended work schedules, shift work, occupational stress, dangerous and traumatic events and can, as such, develop sleep problems. Aim and Objectives To compare quality of life, occupational stress level, between shift &non shift workers policemen working at El-Agouza Police Hospital. Subjects and Methods This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on 64 policemen working in 6 different Police department recruited from sleep clinic neuropsychiatry department at EL-Agouza Police Hospital serving police officers in El-Nile street, Giza, Egypt. Result Occurrence of sleep disorders was significantly higher in the shift workers compared to the non-shift worker group (p < 0.01). Conclusion In the current population-based study of police officers, poor sleep quality was more prevalent among officers who were engaged in shift work. The findings are consistent with prior evidence that night shift carried the greatest risk of poor sleep quality because night-shift officers have to make some adaptations that compensate for their natural circadian patterns.

Towards a suicide-responsive police culture: police experiences of working with suicide

ABSTRACT Across the globe suicide rates are creating concern, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) argues that suicide is the responsibility of everyone. The WHO recognises that police have an important role in suicide prevention and the management of mental health crises. We suggest that police officers and staff are inevitably impacted by the emotional labour of meeting the demands of this aspect of the role. We argue for more research attention on the experiences and views of police who work with suicide. This study comprised qualitative reflective interviews with police in the UK, Guyana and New Zealand, with the focus on identifying commonalities in experience across the three locations. Four themes were generated through reflective thematic analysis: (1) the context; (2) the traumatic impact; (3) the difficult aspects of this work and (4) organisational opportunities for supporting police officers and staff. Our data illustrated that suicide is qualitatively different from other forms of death, and the nature of the work did have considerable emotional and traumatic impact on police. We conclude our paper with several recommendations for police forces to build their welfare support for staff. These recommendations could help promote a healthier workforce and recognise the specific issues associated with this part of the role.

Heritage and hate in Iceland: speculations about white supremacy, Viking imagery, museums, and care in a changing world

ABSTRACT In late 2020, a photo of a policewoman appeared on an established Icelandic news website. The police officer in question is depicted casually reaching for something in the boot of her police vehicle and used as a stock photo for a regular newspaper featuring some of the incidents the police have recently attended. Three patches were exposed on the officer's security vest. Those depicted the Icelandic flag, the Icelandic flag with the Thin Blue Line symbol, and the Vinland flag with an added picture of the Punisher symbol. The resentment could have revolved around her use of the Icelandic flag, a clear violation of the legislation. Nevertheless, the outrage that ensued was instead directed at the remaining symbols, long connected with police brutality and negative views within police forces towards minority groups, particularly people of African American descent. The image that caught public attention was the Vinland Flag, which closely resembles the Icelandic and Norwegian flags. It engages with Nordic heritage as Vinland is the name Norse (Viking) explorers gave North America when they settled there early in the second millennium. The Goth metal band Vinland designed the flag in the 1990s. Inevitably, it has different meanings for different groups of people. Still, its most notable appropriation is by right-wing populist groups such as white supremacists, who have claimed it as a symbol of their core ideals of white power and white supremacy.

Contextualising the investigation work in China: the facilitators and barriers in using mobile phone evidence

ABSTRACT Despite the huge quantity of potentially relevant data on crimes, victims, and offenders generated by and associated with technologies such as smartphones, evidence suggests these are rarely used in court proceedings. Moreover, while empirical findings suggest that techniques for analysing digital trace evidence have outstripped the abilities of investigators to interpret it, there is a lack of research on the specific challenges and potential solutions for upskilling police officers to handle digital evidence. This study seeks to identify facilitators and barriers for investigators interpreting mobile phone evidence generated during criminal investigations in China. Based on interviews with 29 frontline investigators regarding their working experience and perceptions, findings illustrate that although Chinese legislation grants investigators access to and legitimacy in retaining mobile phone data and applying it as admissible evidence, and despite the acknowledged importance of this data, investigators often lack the capability to interpret it. The lack of functional techniques for efficiently reviewing and analysing data is identified as a barrier. But more importantly, unfamiliarity with technological innovations in criminal activities hinders investigators’ capabilities to understand the generation and meaning of mobile phone data within the context of the investigation.

Peran Keterbukaan Komunikasi dalam Membangun Budaya Organisasi Untuk Meningkatkan Citra Diri Kepolisian

Communication in organisational culture is a very important element that affects various aspects of organisational operations and effectiveness. Organisational culture encompasses the values, beliefs and norms held in common by members of the organisation, and communication is the primary means of spreading and maintaining that culture. A strong and positive organisational culture is essential for police institutions to improve their image in the eyes of the public. This organisational culture includes the values, beliefs, behaviours and norms shared by all members of the police force. Police self-image is the perception and judgement that the public has of the police institution. This image is very important as it affects the level of trust, support and co-operation between the police and the community. To improve self-image, the police need to implement a comprehensive and sustainable approach. Through transparency, professionalism, community involvement, effective communication, appropriate conflict handling, innovation, training, rewards, and good media management, the police can build and maintain a positive image in the eyes of the community. A good image not only increases community trust and support but also strengthens the police force's ability to perform their duties effectively. Organisational Culture Communication is the study of how an organisation's culture affects communication within it. Whereas police self-image is concerned with the perceptions and identities that police officers and the public have of the police institution. This study examines how communication within the police organisation affects the self-image of police officers and how that self-image affects the relationship between the police and the Community.

JVC-02 Teleoperated Robot: Design, Implementation, and Validation for Assistance in Real Explosive Ordnance Disposal Missions

Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations are hazardous due to the volatile and sensitive nature of these devices. EOD robots have improved these tasks, but their high cost limits accessibility for security institutions that do not have sufficient funds. This article presents the design, implementation, and validation of a low-cost EOD robot named JVC-02, specifically designed for use in explosive hazardous environments to safeguard the safety of police officers of the Explosives Disposal Unit (UDEX) of Arequipa, Peru. To achieve this goal, the essential requirements for this type of robot were compiled, referencing the capabilities of Rescue Robots from RoboCup. Additionally, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology was used to identify the needs and requirements of UDEX police officers. Based on this information, a modular approach to robot design was developed, utilizing commercial off-the-shelf components to facilitate maintenance and repair. The JVC-02 was integrated with a 5-DoF manipulator and a two-finger mechanical gripper to perform dexterity tasks, along with a tracked locomotion mechanism, which enables effective movement, and a three-camera vision system to facilitate exploration tasks. Finally, field tests were conducted in real scenarios to evaluate and experimentally validate the capabilities of the JVC-02 robot, assessing its mobility, dexterity, and exploration skills. Additionally, real EOD missions were carried out in which UDEX agents intervened and controlled the robot. The results demonstrate that the JVC-02 robot possesses strong capabilities for real EOD applications, excelling in intuitive operation, low cost, and ease of maintenance.

Blake’s “Watchman”: Los and the London Police

ABSTRACT The Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 created a centralized police force in London, formally ending the tenure of the parochial watchman—a recognizable figure in the capital for centuries—and replacing him with the uniformed “bobbies” still visible today. This change, however, was far from an inevitability. The proto-centralization embedded in the Middlesex Justices Act of 1792, and the various textual and pictorial works defending the watchman’s role as a local guardian, reflect the conflicting approaches to policing London’s spaces which competed in the decades preceding 1829. This essay explores points of interaction between these debates and the works of William Blake. After examining Blake’s 1807 letter to publisher Richard Phillips, which condemns the activities of the Hatton Garden Police Office, I probe how a distrust of centralized authority manifests itself within Blake’s work through the figures of the “Watch-fiends.” From here I explore how Blake’s depiction of Los as “Albions Watchman” in Jerusalem (c.1804–20) shares similarities with contemporary works celebrating the symbolic opposition of the parochial watchman to central tyranny. Ultimately, I show that Blake’s utilization of a recognizable London type allows us to draw productive parallels between his works and the city spaces in which they were formed.

Operational Stress and Psychological Well-Being Among Police Officers in Benue State Police Command: The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies

Psychological Well-being is an important concept used in behaviour sciences to evaluate the state of an individual in terms of perception, feelings, cognition and internal experience. This study investigated Operational Stress and Psychological Well-being among Police Officers in Benue State Police Command: The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies. The study employed a Cross-Sectional Survey Design, where three hundred and fifty seven (357) Police Officers consisting of 219 (61.3%) Males and 134 (37.5%) Females were used for the study. Their ages ranged from 19 to 59 years with the Mean of 38.13 (SD=9.54128). The Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Op), Brief-COPE Inventory and Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) were used for data collection. Statistical analysis involved the use of Multiple Regression and PROCESS Mediation Analyses. Findings from the hypotheses indicated that, Operational Stress has made an independent significant contribution to Psychological Wellbeing of Police Officers in Benue State Police Command. Coping Strategies significantly influenced Psychological Well-being among Police Officers in Benue State Police Command. The result further showed that, Operational Stress and Coping Strategies jointly influenced Psychological Well-being of Police Officers in Benue State Police Command. Finally, Selfdistraction, Denial, Active Coping, Substance Use, Instrumental Support, Venting, Planning, Acceptance and Religion did not significantly mediate the relationship between Operational Stress and Psychological Well-being among Police Officers; while Emotional Support, Behavioral Disengagement, Positive Reframing, Humor, and Self-blame significantly mediated the relationship between Operational Stress and Psychological Well-being among Police Officers in Benue State Police Command. Based on the findings, it was recommended that, Police Officers should be enlightened on how to manage Operational Stress and develop good coping strategies. On policy basis, it was recommended that, Government should evolve policies that are aimed at training and retraining Police Officers on appropriate Coping Strategies; which will help in reducing Operational Stress and on the other hand increase high level of Psychological Well-being among Police Officers. Also, Non-governmental organizations with caring mind should support Police with logistics that will help reduce Operational Stress. This will help to achieve high state of Psychological Well-being and enhance better policing among Police Officers. Finally, more researches should be encouraged on the subject matter for further identification of long term solutions to problems affecting Psychological Well-being of Police Officers in Benue State Police Command in particular, and Nigeria at large.

Increased risk of developing cerebro-cardiovascular diseases in police officers: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPolice officers face an increased risk of developing cerebro-cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, current literature lacks population-based cohort studies specifically focusing on this association. This study aimed to investigate the association between police officers and the risk of developing CVD compared with education officers, while accounting for socioeconomic and demographic factors.MethodsWe used the Korean National Health Insurance Service data spanning from 2009 to 2020. In this population-based retrospective matched cohort study, we identified age, sex, and calendar years of job-enrollment–matched education officers for each police officer. This study evaluated the CVD occurrence, including acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke. Using multivariable Cox regression analysis, we determined the risk of developing CVD, expressed as a hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsAmong 104,134 police officers and 104,134 education officers, 4,391(42.2%) cases and 3,631(34.9%) cases of CVD occurred, respectively. The mean ± standard deviation age was 38.4 ± 9.4 years in police officers and 38.6 ± 9.5 years in education officers. The proportion of men was 84.8 % in both groups. Police officers were significantly associated with a higher risk of developing CVD compared with education officers, with an adjusted HR of 1.15 (95% CI, 1.09–1.22). In addition, police officers had significantly higher risks for acute myocardial infarction (adjusted HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06–1.26) and ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09–1.25).ConclusionsThe findings of our study highlight a significant increase in the risk of developing CVD among police officers, particularly among those aged 45 years and older and those with uncontrolled blood pressure compared to their education officer counterparts. Future cohort studies are required to confirm this association.

Not Just a Numbers Game: Assessing the Journey of Women in Policing from Representation to Inclusion

AbstractA focus on improvements to the recruitment rates of women in policing in England and Wales simplifies the issue of organisational integration and hides the complex task of addressing the structural and cultural gendered inequalities running throughout the service. This article considers the structural barriers to women's progression within the police service and presents a cultural analysis of the impact of this environment on women's organisational inclusion. It concludes by suggesting that a different style of policing, one which prioritises fairness and compassion, might have a positive impact on all of those serving as police officers in England and Wales.

Transferability of Effective Consultation Skills for Decision-Making Support in the Voluntary Surrender of Older Adult Drivers' Licences in Super-Aged Japan.

Previously, we identified eight effective consultation skills to support decision-making in the voluntary surrender of older adult drivers' licences in super-aged Japan. This study aimed to clarify the transferability of these skills. We collected text data by interviewing 11 safe-driving counsellors (four police officers, four clerical staff and three nurses) in the License Division of the National Police Agency from February to March 2022. Interviews were semi-structured and conducted by telephone or email. During the interview, participants were asked to recall their experiences as counsellors providing decision-making support to older drivers and to compare their experiences with the eight consultation skills. We analysed the content of the responses by quantitative text analysis with KH Coder 3 software. As a characteristic of the words and phrases used by counsellors in their narratives about consultation skills, the most frequently extracted words from among 3147 words were think, parties and family, and promote had the highest mediation centrality. The eight subgraphs were 'Respecting the will of relevant parties from their standpoint is natural', 'Listening attentively and empathetically to relevant parties is effective', 'Presenting objective data to guide decisions is successful', 'Showing cognitive functioning test results is often effective', 'Counselors with medical expertise can elicit positive counseling outcomes', 'Intervention by medical or police counselors facilitates the decision to surrender voluntarily', 'Counseling skills need to be improved' and 'A diagram of the 8 skills is helpful for inexperienced counselors'. The results suggest that the eight consultation skills have similarities and are transferable. This transferability might contribute to practical application or cohort follow-up study research. These skills can be incorporated into counsellor training, and counsellors can be expected to use these skills in the future. Regardless of the safe-driving counsellor's years of experience, the skills can help them provide uniform and accurate support in decision-making regarding the voluntary surrender of older adult drivers' licences. These skills are a promising approach to help older adults lead safe and secure lives as they age.