POLICE AND PUBLIC OPINION

• NCJ Number: 58215
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 196-205
• Author(s): D J BELL
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES ARE IDENTIFIED IN THIS SURVEY.

Abstract

THE ASSUMPTION THAT COMMUNITY CITIZENS HOLD POLICE ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONNEL IN HIGH REGARD WAS INVESTIGATED IN THIS SURVEY. THE 1975 STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A CITY IN MAHONING COUNTY, OHIO, (POPULATION 304,000) IN 1975. A FULL-TIME POLICE FORCE CONSISTING OF EIGHT OFFICERS AND FOUR DISPATCHERS WAS MAINTAINED WITHIN THE SELECTED INCORPORATED CITY; THE CRIME RATE WAS RELATIVELY CONSTANT, AND BELOW THE AVERAGE OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTY AREA. ALL 1,756 RESIDENTIAL FAMILIES RECEIVED THE SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE, CONSISTING OF 26 QUESTIONS DESIGNED TO ELICIT CITIZENS' RESPONSES IN SPECIFIC AREAS RELATING TO POLICE ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS PRINTED IN BOOKLET FORM, AND PROVIDED FOR REMOVAL OF THE RESPONDENT'S NAME, ENSURING ANONYMITY. FROM THIS MAILING, 190 (10.53 PERCENT) OF THE FORMS WERE RETURNED. RANDOM SAMPLING VERIFICATION, RELIABILITY, AND NONRESPONSE BIAS DETERMINATIONS FOR THE MEASURING INSTRUMENT SUPPORTED BOTH THE ADEQUACY OF THE INSTRUMENT AND ITS APPROPRIATE APPLICATIONS TO THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED IN THIS STUDY. RESPONSES BY CITIZENS TO SERVICE AND DUE PROCESS QUESTIONS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE NEED FOR POLICE INTERGRITY IN THESE AREAS AND SUPPORT THE METHODS OF DISCIPLINE TO MAINTAIN IT. HOWEVER, THEY PERCEIVED THE POLICE ORGANIZATION AS INADEQUATELY TRAINED, PROFESSIONALLY UNAWARE, AND IN NEED OF BETTER PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL METHODS. IN SHORT, THE CITIZENS RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO SERVICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND NEGATIVELY TO ALL 10 AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS SECTIONS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH WITH DIFFERENT SURVEY INSTRUMENTS IS NEEDED TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING CITIZENS' ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATIONS. FOOTNOTES AND STATISTICAL TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)