Police Quarterly

Publisher:: Sage Publications, Inc.
Publication date:: 2021-09-06

ISBN:: 1098-6111

Issue Number

No. 28-1, March 2025

Latest documents

Us Versus Them? The Problem of Cognitive Distortions in Policing
The literature on cognitive distortions offers insight on why we continue to face reform challenges regarding police use of force- and citizen interaction-related outcomes. We used two studies of police officers to determine the extent to which one cognitive distortion—dichotomous thinking—was associated with problematic orientations about use of force and citizen interactions. In Study 1, we found that dichotomous thinking was associated with weaker support for de-escalation, procedural justice, and maintaining self-control during hypothetical citizen interactions. Dichotomous thinking also was associated with more support for force-related misconduct. Study 2 showed that officers who engaged in dichotomous thinking were more likely to perceive an immediate and serious threat from watching suspects in body-worn camera videos. Also, they were more likely to believe suspects had greater ability, opportunity, and intent to cause harm. We discuss the practical implications of these findings for policing and police reform.
A Link Between the George Floyd Incident and De-Policing: Evidence From Police Arrests Across Three Racial and Ethnic Groups
The purpose of this study is to examine the George Floyd effect on depolicing. Police misdemeanor and felony arrests by the Houston Police Department (HPD), with these police actions serve as the primary measures of law enforcement behavior. Specifically, we break down police misdemeanor and felony arrests among Hispanic, Black, and White residents. An Interrupted Time Series Analysis model is used in the analysis. The primary findings suggest that there was an initial steep drop of police arrests immediately after the Floyd incident for both misdemeanor and felony arrests. The long-term effect, however, remains present in only misdemeanant arrests. Police felony arrests went back to pre-incident levels within a short period of time. In addition, it is noted that the pattern of arrests between Blacks and Hispanics is similar. Some policy implications and the limitations of the study are discussed in a concluding section.
Causes of Police Officer Career Apprehension Following George Floyd
Police workforce retention has become a persistent managerial concern. The public response to recent events of police misconduct have fuelled the perception that police may be seeking other career paths following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Despite growing evidence, current research has been unable to ascertain what conditions may prompt officers to voluntarily separate from police work following Floyd’s murder, or whether the impact varies across demographic groups. Drawing upon a survey of over 600 police officers across eight police departments in the United States, the current inquiry examines what percent of officers reported reconsidering their career following the George Floyd incident, and whether demographic information and occupational attitudes could predict whether officers reconsidered their careers. Findings indicated that female officers were more likely to strongly agree that it made them reconsider their careers, and that instrumental concerns (i.e., public support, personal liability, localized fallout, and concern over media attention) were also influential.
Impact of In-Service Implicit Bias Training: A Study of Attitudinal Changes and Intention to Apply Anti-Bias Techniques
Research points to implicit bias as one factor driving racial disparities in enforcement activities. Addressing implicit bias is essential to promote equity and integrity in policing and to building trust and legitimacy in communities, according to the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. However, investigations into the efficacy of implicit bias training for police are sparse. This study evaluates in-service implicit bias training, examining the impact on trainees’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-professed likelihood of applying antibias strategies to mitigate the effects of implicit bias. We found significant improvements to officers’ knowledge of how implicit bias works and its consequences, an increased attribution to procedural justice, and officers reported being more likely, following the training, to apply strategies to reduce the effects of implicit bias during encounters with public. Results benefit police departments that seek to reduce unconscious prejudice, ensure impartiality and equity, and develop better relations with minority communities.
Factors Promoting and Inhibiting Use of Wellness Resources Among Police: A Mixed Methods Study
There has been an increase in wellness programming within police agencies across the U.S. We examined factors contributing to and inhibiting use of within-department and external mental wellness programming using a sequential mixed methods design within a large Mid-Atlantic U.S. metropolitan police department. Sworn and civilian policing personnel completed surveys (n = 297) and interviews (n = 26). Regression models and chi-square tests were run on survey data, and open coding was used to analyze qualitative interview data. Results from triangulation of data demonstrated departmental mistrust and confidentiality in service usage were barriers to services. Additionally, the pervasiveness of stigma within the department and the field of policing at large was emphasized. Health insurance was key to accessing mental health services when people reached a point of extreme stress. In response, within-agency messaging about confidentiality of services and options for external mental health services should be prioritized in police agencies. Furthermore, police agencies looking to promote mental health could start by offering health insurance plans that include coverage of mental health services.
Routinising Police-Security Collaborations: A Prospective, Mixed-Methods Experiment in British Train Stations
Interagency cooperation may increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness in an era of resource austerity and increased workload for both the police and their partners. Yet the effect of a strategic police-security collaboration on routine operations across multiple sites is unknown. In a controlled experiment, we introduced an interagency collaboration between state and non-state guardianships to train stations across England. A mixed-methods approach, with multiple crime indicators and a survey administered with police officers and security partners, was applied through a series of before-and-after comparisons with staggered start dates to control for confounding variables. Crime recording, police proactivity and crisis intervention increased compared to controls. Security staff and officers valued collaboration and saw it as beneficial and efficient. The findings support police-private-security collaboration on crime and disorder, but more research with larger and more diverse samples and stricter control over rival explanations is needed.
The “Police Personality”: Is it Real?
Much research has discussed the “police personality.” Yet, it is still unclear what particular traits make up the police personality—or whether it exists at all. This can be partially attributed to the limited availability of data collected within individual police departments. Using a nationally representative sample of adults (Add Health), the current study examines whether the Big Five personality traits, temperamental characteristics, and empirically informed covariates are related to being a police officer. Results indicate that, compared to the general population, individuals in law enforcement score significantly lower on openness to experience. Police officers are also more likely than non-officers to have experienced divorce, served in the military, lean politically conservative, and be male. These findings provide partial support for the notion that there are distinct factors that define the police personality.
The Effects of Hot Spot Policing on Community Experiences and Perceptions in a Time of COVID-19 and Calls for Police Reform
To extend the limited evidence on how hot spot policing (HSP) strategies affect community experiences, perceptions, and attitudes, police agencies in two cities participated in a randomized experiment involving 102 hot spots that were assigned to a control condition (n = 51) or to receive a HSP program emphasizing patrol, community engagement, and problem-solving for 14–17 months during 2019 and 2020 (n = 51). Cross-sectional surveys with hot spot community members were conducted in person before the program (n = 1082) and, due to COVID-19, by mail and internet afterwards (n = 768) to assess program effects on crime victimization, views of crime and disorder, and attitudes towards police. In both cities, the evaluation period overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic and the national protests for police reform following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis during 2020; in one city, the program was ongoing during these events. Results showed the program had few effects on community experiences and views, though there were some indications it may have improved perceptions of police legitimacy and police misconduct in one city. The findings suggest that HSP strategies do not have harmful effects on community perceptions and might improve some aspects of police-community relations. However, weak program implementation, challenges to survey administration, and the occurrence of both COVID-19 and the George Floyd incident during the study period complicate interpretation of the results.
An Examination of Unintentional Use of Force by the Police
Although many studies have been conducted on the police use of force, virtually none have been conducted on the unintentional use of force by police. This gap in knowledge is significant, in that any use of force by police carries with it the possibility of injury, up to and including death. The current study examines instances of unintentional use of weapons-based force by police to: (1) establish a framework for studying unintentional use of force; (2) provide descriptive analyses of the issue to better ascertain the frequency and severity of unintentional use of force by police; and (3) identify potential directions for future study of the issue. Results indicate that unintentional weapons-based force occurs most commonly as the unintentional deployment of a TASER during a routine, pre-shift safety check. While unintentional incidents are rare and injuries or death associated with unintentional weapons-based force are rarer still, human error is the most common cause of unintentional force, pointing to the need for better training, weapon-handling, and/or weapon-design to prevent most unintentional force incidents.
Sergeant Coffee Needs You: Evaluation of a Police Officer Bystander Intervention Program
Police encounters with suspects may produce unfortunate outcomes, particularly when defiance of authority leads to usage of force. Application of excessive force may be interrupted, or obviated by the actions of bystander officers who become intervening officers. This study evaluated officer and supervisor perceptions of a training program which taught intervention strategies and tactics to help officers intervene with other officers to prevent harm. Data were collected very early in program implementation and approximately one year later. Survey data were collected with officers and qualitative focus groups were conducted with officers and supervisors. Findings indicate a marked change in perceptions by officers. Both quantitative and qualitative findings collected in early phase indicate a high degree of officer resistance. Late phase data indicate significantly higher endorsement of officer intervention strategies and participants reported higher frequencies of intervening with other officers. Findings suggest officer-based de-escalation and intervention training warrants implementation consideration from agency decision makers.