NCJ Number
13787
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 47 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1974) Pages: 173-177
Date Published
1974
Length
5 pages
Annotation
EXPLORATORY STUDY OF EXTENT TO WHICH UNIFORMED OFFICERS ACCEPT EXTRA-LEGAL OR SUPPORTIVE DUTIES TO BE PART OF WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR JOB AS POLICEMEN.
Abstract
AS PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF POLICING, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 115 OF 120 MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED PATROL AND TRAFFIC DIVISION OF A METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A BORDER STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEW EACH OFFICER WAS ASKED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION REGARDING 25 STATEMENTS THAT REPRESENTED TYPES OF SITUATIONS HE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED IN POLICE WORK 'AS A POLICEMAN, WHAT OBLIGATIONS DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO DO OR NOT DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS?' SOME OF THE ITEMS DEALT WITH ISSUES IN POLICE WORK, SUCH AS FIELD INTERROGATION, OTHERS DEALT WITH SITUATIONS CONSIDERED TO BE STRICTLY LEGALISTIC, CASES WHERE SOME VIOLATION OF LAW WAS INDICATED, AND, OTHERS DEALT WITH EXTRA-LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS, SUCH AS GIVING DIRECTIONS TO PERSONS LOST OR GIVING ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS WHO WERE ILL. THE GREATER MAJORITY OF THE ITEMS WERE DESIGNED TO PRESENT EXTRALEGAL SITUATIONS IN WHICH THERE WAS NO VIOLATION OF LAW. THE OFFICERS WERE PRESENTED WITH FIVE POSSIBLE ANSWERS FOR EACH HYPOTHETICAL ITEM - ABSOLUTELY MUST, PREFERABLY SHOULD, MAY OR MAY NOT, PREFERABLY SHOULD NOT AND ABSOLUTELY MUST NOT. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE POLICE FEEL THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ANSWER REQUESTS FOR EXTRA-LEGAL CONTROL AS A ROUTINE PART OF THEIR JOB IN ADDITION TO DEMANDS TO ACT STRICTLY AS LEGAL AGENTS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE POLICE HOLD THAT THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE EXTRA-LEGAL THINGS REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC. SOME REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE, HOWEVER, ARE BELIEVED BY THE POLICE TO BE MORE NECESSARY THAN OTHERS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)