Evaluations of Eight Communication Skills in Police–Civilian Interactions

• Published date: 01 November 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241260827
• Author: Congyu Wang,Qiuyue Gao,Hu Wang
• Date: 01 November 2024

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2024, Vol. 51, No. 11, November 2024, 1755 –1772.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241260827

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2024 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

1755

EVALUATIONS OF EIGHT COMMUNICATION

SKILLS IN POLICE–CIVILIAN INTERACTIONS

CONGYU WANG

QIUYUE GAO

HU WANG

People’s Public Security University of China

To create a framework encompassing a broad spectrum of police communication skills, our study utilized the Communicative

Function Questionnaire, a validated tool from communication studies. Two cross-sectional surveys with 627 participants in

China assessed the perceived importance of eight communication skills in police–civilian interactions. Study 1 indicated

potential undervaluation of skills by police compared with civilians, although both groups rated them as moderately important

or higher. Study 2 categorized police communication skills into two categories: functional (referential, regulative, conflict

management) and relational (comforting, ego support, conversational, persuasive, narrative), with civilians favoring func-

tional skills. Furthermore, our investigation into demographic influences on the evaluation of relational skills revealed that

any of the following groups: men, individuals over 25, or residents of certain regions, placed a higher value on relational

skills. Our findings highlight the importance of functional skills and suggest strategically developing relational skills tailored

to the preferences of diverse demographic groups.

Keywords: communication skill; communicative function; police–civilian interaction; police; training

INTRODUCTION

Police departments are facing an increasing call to redefine their profession as “guard-

ians” instead of “warriors” while fulfilling their multifaceted duties (Rahr & Rice, 2015;

Wood & Watson, 2017). Within this evolving trend, improving police communication skills

holds practical significance for fostering positive interactions (Bradford et al., 2009;

McDermott & Hulse, 2012) and de-escalating the use of force. The lowest level of the police

force, apart from their mere presence, is verbal commands (McLean et al., 2023), which rely

on police communication skills to be effectively delivered. However, previous studies on

police communication skills have predominantly treated it as a monolithic competency,

neglecting the examination of its nuanced components (e.g., Rosenbaum & Lawrence, 2017).

Existing attempts to examine diverse communication skills lack both an empirical basis and

a theoretical framework (e.g., Bennell et al., 2022; Erickson et al., 1976).

Author’s Note: This research was funded by the “Double First-Class” Initiative for the Discipline of Criminal

Investigation at the People’s Public Security University of China (grant number: 2023SYL02). Correspondence

concerning this article should be addressed to Hu Wang, People’s Public Security University of China, Beijing

100038, China; e-mail: 20216940@ppsuc.edu.cn.

1260827CJBXXX10.1177/00938548241260827Criminal Justice and BehaviorWang et al. / EIGHT POLICE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

research-article2024

1756 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR

To this end, we employed the Communicative Function Questionnaire to establish a

comprehensive framework for diverse police communication skills. This questionnaire, sci-

entifically validated in the literature (Samter & Burleson, 1990), allows for the evaluation

of the perceived importance of diverse communication skills, thereby offering valuable

insights into enhancing interactions. However, while prior research has examined different

communication skills within interpersonal relationships such as teacher-student and friend-

ship (Palos & Petrovici, 2014; Rubin et al., 2010; Samter & Burleson, 1990), gaps remain

in the literature on exploring these skills in the context of police–civilian interactions.

Police–civilian interactions differ from ordinary interpersonal interactions in that they

present scenarios where lawful force could be justified (Brandl & Stroshine, 2013; Toch,

1995). Within these interactions, police behavior, although not inherently lethal, violent, or

physical, frequently entails coercive elements (Frank Klahm Iv et al., 2014). This coercive

aspect leads to a paradox, granting police officers authority while simultaneously restricting

their operational freedom (Muir, 1977). Given the unique dynamics of police–civilian inter-

actions, findings from other interpersonal relations cannot be directly extrapolated to this

context. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the perceived importance of various police com-

munication skills. Specifically, our study aims to address the following research questions:

Research Question 1 (RQ1): To what extent do civilians and police officers share a consensus

regarding police communication skills?

Research Question 2 (RQ2): Which police communication skills are highly valued by the

public?

By addressing these questions, we would gain a deeper understanding of police–civilian

interactions and provide targeted recommendations for improving police communication

skills.

EIGHT COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN POLICE–CIVILIAN INTERACTION

Acknowledging the complexity of interpersonal dynamics, communication scholars

have developed and validated the Communicative Function Questionnaire (CFQ), which

evaluates eight different communication skills (Aylor, 2003; Samter & Burleson, 1990).

Empirical studies confirm that the evaluation of communication skills varies significantly

depending on the specific relationship context (Palos & Petrovici, 2014; Rubin et al., 2010;

Samter & Burleson, 1990). For instance, within friendships, affectively oriented skills such

as ego support, comforting, and conflict management are highly valued because of their

importance in fostering intimate sharing of thoughts, emotions, and desires (Candy et al.,

1981; Samter & Burleson, 1990). Consequently, applying the CFQ to assess police com-

munication skills in interactions with civilians can accurately measure both parties’ expec-

tations of these interactions and provide valuable insights to enhance their effectiveness.

This study represents the first application of the CFQ within police–civilian interactions.

The scenarios of police–civilian interactions are highly diverse, encompassing various

domains such as traffic enforcement (e.g., Monazamitabar & Sadeghi, 2019), community

policing (e.g., Wing-Hung Lo & Chun-Yin Cheuk, 2004), emergency response (e.g.,

Charman, 2014), investigative interview (e.g., Collins & Carthy, 2019), resolving disputes

and conflicts (e.g., Överlien & Aas, 2016), and so on. In these scenarios, a broad range of