NCJ Number
87637
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 50 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1983) Pages: 61-66
Date Published
1983
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article contains impressions about law enforcement and police officers based upon academy and ride-along experiences of two women with corrections orientations.
Abstract
Observations were based on participation in the 12-week Alameda County Sheriff's Academy and subsequent patrol experiences. The academy experience is intensive, rigorous, and paramilitary in organization. The law enforcement bonding experience begins the first day of the academy: students quickly become cohesive to survive the ordeal. This bonding experience is ultimately transferred to the street. Group cohesiveness, teamwork, support, and protection of officer by fellow officer are all important. Law enforcement officers tend to see the human race in a polarized manner. With few exceptions, police officers perceive themselves as the good guys and everyone else as the bad guys. In addition, the police officer tends to view the world in purely black and white terms. Most police officers are conservative when it comes to traditional values about home and family and agree that women have a place in law enforcement but are skeptical of the female patrol officer. In general, police officers have a positive attitude toward excitement and danger. Many officers believe that promotions are based on politics and not necessarily on being a good officer. Police officers are more intimately involved than corrections personnel in the details of the specific criminal offense. In contrast, corrections personnel have the opportunity to see the offender not only as a criminal but as a human being playing a wide variety of roles. Understanding of these basic orientations is a beginning for both officers and corrections personnel. Three photographs are provided.