NCJ Number
54824
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 55 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 46-49
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE IDEAS AND ATTITUDES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND PERPETUATED BY THEM ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES AND WORK, POLICE OFFICERS MUST BE AWARE OF THE IDEAS THAT PERPETUATE THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THEY LIVE, AND SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND UTILIZE THE POTENTIAL THEY HAVE AS A GROUP. FIVE BASIC IDEAS ARE PRESENTED WHICH ARE COMPONENTS OF THE POLICE MYSTIQUE, OR THE ATTITUDES THAT EXIST CONCERNING POLICE PERSONNEL AS THEY HAVE BEEN FORMED BY OFFICERS THEMSELVES, AND PASSED ALONG WITH EACH GENERATION OF PERSONNEL. AS USED, A MYSTIQUE IS A BODY OF IDEAS AND ATTITUDES THAT HAS BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE OR AN INSTITUTION. SUCH A CODE OF BEHAVIOR AND EXPECTATIONS IS PERCEIVED TO BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT TENDS TO TRAP MANY OFFICERS INTO BEHAVIOR THAT IS NONPRODUCTIVE AND SELF-DEFEATING. THE CONCEPT OF 'IT'S US VERSUS THEM' IS SEEN TO SEPARATE THE POLICE FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD AND FROM THEMSELVES, AND ACTS AS A SELF-FULFILLING FACTOR WHICH SEPARATES POLICE PERSONNEL FROM THE COMMUNITY WHICH THEY SERVE. THE 'ESCAPE-INTO-SILENCE' ASPECT OF THE POLICE ACTS TO COMPEL AN OFFICER'S NONCOMMITMENT TO IMPROVEMENT, AND OFFICERS' TENDENCY TO HIDE OR SURPRESS EMOTIONS CREATES BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS WHICH LEAD TO HYPERTENSION, STROKES, AND HEART ATTACKS. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, ALTHOUGH PERPETUATED BY THE POLICE OFFICERS, IS SHOWN TO RESTRICT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE ATTITUDES IN POLICE PERSONNEL, AND PEER-GROUP PRESSURE CONCERNING SEXUALITY DOES NOT REFLECT THE ACTUAL DESIRES OF THE MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS WHO DISPLAY A WIDE VARIETY OF ATTITUDES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)