SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE - ON STRIKE? (FROM POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS - SELECTED READINGS - 2ND ED, 1978, BY PAUL F CROMWALL, JR AND GEORGE KEEFER - SEE NCJ-47600)

• NCJ Number: 47613
• Author(s): R U ANDERSON; T BARTELL; F L GEHLEN; L T WINFREE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: West Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM JOURNAL OF POLICE SCIENCE AND ADMINISTRATION, V 4, N 1 (1976), P 1-8

Annotation

THE 1975 ALBURQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, POLICE STRIKE IS DESCRIBED WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE REACTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF THE PUBLIC AND THE POLICE.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH THE STRIKE CENTERED AROUND A WAGE DISPUTE, THERE WAS ALSO WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION WITH INTERNAL DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE. IN RESPONSE TO THE STRIKE THE POLICE CHIEF UTILIZED SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL, NONSTRIKING PATROLMEN, AND AUXILIARIES ON 12-HOUR SHIFTS FOR 7 DAYS A WEEK, AND CITIZENS WERE ASKED NOT TO CALL FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE ON MINOR MATTERS. FOLLOWING THE ISSUANCE OF A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION ORDERING POLICE BACK TO WORK, AND PROHIBITING THE CITY FROM FIRING THE STRIKING PATROLMEN, 324 OFFICERS SUBMITTED BACKDATED RESIGNATIONS. THE COURT DISALLOWED THE BACKDATING AND ORDERED EACH OFFICER TO DO VOLUNTEER WORK UNDER THE POLICE CHIEF FOR WORK MISSED BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE. THE CITY REMAINED ADAMANT IN ITS POSITION THAT IT COULD NOT IMPROVE UPON THE REJECTED SETTLEMENT PACKAGE. EVENTUALLY, A FEDERAL MEDIATOR WAS CALLED IN AND A SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED. A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES WAS AFFORDED BY A RANDOM SAMPLE STUDY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM UNDERTAKEN 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE STRIKE. USING ITEMS DESIGNED TO ASSESS ATTITUDES TOWARD THE STRIKE AND TO GUAGE ATTITUDE CHANGE, A SUBSAMPLE OF THE ORIGINAL POPULATION WAS REINTERVIEWED. RESULTS INDICATED WIDESPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE POLICE STRIKE AND THE ISSUES INVOLVED. FEW RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY FELT THE STRIKE AFFECTED THEM PERSONALLY OR BELIEVED THE CITY'S CLAIM THAT IT COULD NOT BETTER ITS SETTLEMENT OFFER. IN ADDITION, IT WAS FOUND THAT PUBLIC ATTITUDES ABOUT THE QUALITY OF POLICE PROTECTION WERE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER AFTER THE STRIKE THAN BEFORE. A LARGER PROPORTION OF THE POSTSTRIKE RESPONDENTS BELIEVED THE CITY SHOULD COMPROMISE AND FAVORED EXPANSION OF THE POLICE BUDGET. STRONG SUPPORT (70 PERCENT) WAS ALSO FOUND FOR THE RIGHT OF THE POLICE TO STRIKE, AND 42 PERCENT SUPPORTED POLICE DISOBEDIENCE OF THE INJUNCTION WHILE OVER ONE-THIRD OF THOSE WHO DID NOT SUPPORT DISOBEDIENCE OF THE INJUNCTION, RECOMMENDED ONLY WEAK SANCTIONS. THE INFERENCE FROM THE STUDY IS THAT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DID NOT FEEL PERSONALLY THREATENED BY THE STRIKE, THEY TENDED TO VIEW IT AS A MANAGEMENT-LABOR DISPUTE. THE IMPROVED ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE IN COMPARISON TO THE LESS FAVORABLE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE CITY, MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE EFFECTIVE USE OF MEDIA BY THE STRIKING OFFICERS. PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCE OF THE STRIKE IS THE POLITICIZATION OF THE POLICE AS EVIDENCED IN THEIR DELIBERATE GENERATION OF PUBLIC SUPPORT AND PRESSURE BY EMPHASIZING THEIR COMMUNIY SERVICE FUNCTION AND THE OCCUPATIONAL RISKS INVOLVED IN THEIR WORK, AND THROUGH MANIPULATION OF THE MEDIA. GRAPHIC AND TABULA DATA ARE SUPPLIED. (JAP)