DANGERS OF POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION - AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 52452
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 199-216
• Author(s): D C SMITH
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc; Acad of Criminal Justice Sciences
• Sale Source: Institute for Scientific Information; Pergamon Press
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REQUEST PHOTOCOPY OF ARTICLE WHEN ORDERING EARLIER VERSION OF PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, WASHINGTON, D C, APRIL 19-22, 1976

Annotation

USING DATA FROM A SURVEY OF 712 POLICE OFFICERS IN 29 DEPARTMENTS IN THE ST. LOUIS, MO., AREA, THIS STUDY EXAMINES RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PROFESSIONALIZATION AND POLICE OFFICER ATTITUDES.

Abstract

FOCUSING ON PROFESSIONALIZATION AS MEASURED BY THE AMOUNT OF COLLEGE EDUCATION AND POLICE TRAINING, THE ANALYSIS CENTERS ON PROPOSITIONS DERIVED FROM SCHOLARS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED HARMFUL EFFECTS THEY EXPECT TO FLOW FROM SUCH REFORM. THE POLICE OFFICER SAMPLE WAS DISTRIBUTED OVER DEPARTMENTS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 2,200 OFFICERS TO DEPARTMENTS WITH ONLY PART-TIME PERSONNEL. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED IN PRIVATE, PRIMARILY DURING WORKING HOURS, AND LASTED BETWEEN 30 AND 60 MINUTES. EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND DATA WERE OBTAINED AS WELL AS THE OFFICER'S PERSPECTIVES ON THE JOB, DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY, AND A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES FACING CONTEMPORARY LAW ENFORCEMENT. THESE DATA WERE THEN USED TO EXAMINE POSSIBLE CORRELATES OF POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION WITH REGARD TO THE FOLLOWING HYPOTHESES: THE MORE PROFESSIONALIZED THE POLICE OFFICER, (1) THE MORE THE OFFICER WILL DISAPPROVE OF A MILITARY PATTERN OF COMMAND AND THE MORE RESISTANT HE OR SHE WILL BE TO CONTROL, (2) THE MORE THE OFFICER WILL EMPHASIZE AUTONOMY IN DETERMINING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF WORK, (3) THE MORE THE OFFICER WILL EMPHASIZE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS A QUALIFICATION FOR RANK AND THE LESS RECEPTIVE HE OR SHE WILL BE TO RECRUITING MINORITIES, (4) THE MORE LIKELY THE OFFICER WILL PERCEIVE THE WORK ENVIRONMENT AS HOSTILE, AND (5) THE LESS FAVORABLY DISPOSED THE OFFICER WILL BE TOWARD EXTERNAL REVIEW BY CITIZENS, POLITICIANS, AND THE U.S. SUPREME COURT. THE FINDINGS OF THE ANALYSIS YIELD VERY LITTLE SUPPORT FOR THESE PROPOSITIONS. IN GENERAL, POLICE OFFICERS WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION ARE NOT MORE RESISTANT TO BUREAUCRATIC AUTHORITY, DO NOT MANIFEST LABOR UNION-TYPE MILITANCY, ARE NOT MORE LIKELY TO PERCEIVE THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT AS UNSUPPORTIVE AND HOSTILE, AND ARE NO LESS RECEPTIVE TO EXTERNAL REVIEW THAN OTHER OFFICERS. OFFICERS WITH MORE EDUCATION ARE ONLY SOMEWHAT MORE LIKELY THAN THEIR COLLEAGUES WITH LESS TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO FAVOR REQUIRING SOME COLLEGE AS A RECRUITMENT STANDARD AND FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR PROMOTION TO SUPERVISORY RANKS. QUESTIONS FROM THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT ARE INCLUDED. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)