NCJ Number
209789
Journal
Policing: An International Journal of Polcie Strategies and Management Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: 2005 Pages: 69-83
Date Published
2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article presents the results from a study that examined the incidence and prevalence rate of drug-related complaints against police in the New South Wales Police Service and compared these rates to officer demographics.
Abstract
Complaints made against police officers are both a burden and a reality of modern policing. In Australia, it is recognized that the New South Wales Police Service (NSWPS) has received tremendous attention and scrutiny in regard to complaints against officers. In recent years, the NSWPS has attempted a process of significant change by professionalizing its approach to the investigation of complaints against police, both from a tactical, investigative standpoint, and from a strategic, management perspective. After an overview of the use of complaint information for police management, this article describes the incidence and prevalence levels of drug-related complaints against police in the NSWPS. It examines police complaints over a 7-year period in the NSWPS focusing on the number and severity of complaints in relation to drugs involvement. The number and range of allegations, as well as the distribution of different investigative outcomes in relation to the demographics of the police services as a whole are described. The study shows that it is difficult to identify a discernible subset of vulnerable officers. Demographics alone are not sufficient to identify officers at risk of being on the receiving end of a drug-related complaint. The age, service, and rank analysis did not reveal any particular groups that were more susceptible to allegations of drugs misconduct. It is recommended that to attain a more strategic understanding of drug-related complaints may be through a more substantial and broad ranging investigation into the backgrounds of officers and the quality of investigations. References