NCJ Number
52862
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 462-470
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS COMPLEX STUDY OF POLICE JOB SATISFACTION INVOLVED EIGHT POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN SIX STATES. BOTH EXTRINSIC FACTORS (SALARIES, BENEFITS, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT) AND INTRINSIC SATISFACTIONS OF POLICE WORK ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE DEPARTMENTS RANGED FROM 20 TO 85 SWORN OFFICERS AND WERE LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, KANSAS, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS (THREE DEPARTMENTS), AND MICHIGAN. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SOME SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE WHITE MALES. THERE WERE SO FEW NONWHITES OR FEMALES RESPONDING THAT ANALYSIS BY RACE OR SEX WAS NOT POSSIBLE. MEAN AGE RANGED FROM 29.2 YEARS IN ONE OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENTS TO 41.2 YEARS IN THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT, WHILE TENURE RANGED FROM 4.6 YEARS TO 14.4 YEARS IN THE SAME ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN DEPARTMENTS. MOST RESPONDENTS WERE IN THEIR 30'S AND HAD SERVED AS POLICE OFFICERS FOR ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS. UNLIKE OTHER SURVEYS, WHICH HAVE SHOWN THAT POLICE OFFICERS TEND TO ASSOCIATE MAINLY WITH OTHER OFFICERS, ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE 'BEST FRIENDS' LISTED WERE POLICE OFFICERS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MORE OUTSIDE FRIENDS AN OFFICER HAS, THE GREATER HIS JOB SATISFACTION. TEN PREDICTORS OF OFFICER SATISFACTION WERE EXAMINED BY MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS: SALARIES, FRINGE BENEFITS, PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SUPERVISION, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, TRAINING, AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. NO CLEAR TRENDS WERE DISCERNED. HOWEVER, OFFICERS WHO WERE SATISFIED WITH SALARY WERE ALSO SATISFIED WITH FRINGE BENEFITS, THOSE WHO LIKED TRAINING ALSO LIKED EQUIPMENT, AND THE FIVE FACTORS OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SUPERVISION, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, TRAINING, AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TENDED TO BE INTERLINKED. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED AND ILLUSTRATED IN TABLES. (GLR)