Emotional intelligence in policing: a state-of-the-art review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Obed Magny ◽  
Natalie Todak
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Practical Consideration ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Almost All

PurposeEmotional intelligence (EI) reflects an ability to acknowledge one's own emotional state and keep one's emotions in balance while recognizing emotions in others, managing interactions and relationships with them and resolving conflict. Considering that police work largely involves interactions with others, the purpose of this paper is to offer a state-of-the-art review of the research on EI in policing.Design/methodology/approachUsing several online databases, a literature search was performed to collect all peer reviewed studies on EI in policing from around the globe. The authors review the nature of this research and its major findings. They also summarize how EI was conceptualized and measured across studies.FindingsThe authors' search generated a list of 20 studies carried out in 9 countries. Almost all used survey methods and most adopted an ability-based model of EI. The most common area of focus was on correlates of EI in police officers (N = 12), followed by descriptive studies of EI in police officers (N = 5), and finally assessments of the relevance of EI for police training (N = 3).Originality/valuePolicing research has not paid enough attention to EI. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first effort to assess the state of this literature. With law enforcement agencies looking for ways to improve citizen trust and legitimacy worldwide, the preliminary evidence suggests EI warrants considerably more empirical and practical consideration.

Measuring disparities in police activities: a state of the art review

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Smith ◽  
Jeff J. Rojek ◽  
Matthew Petrocelli ◽  
Brian Withrow
Keyword(s):  
Racial Disparities ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Decision Making ◽  
Police Enforcement ◽  
American Society ◽  
Promising Line ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a contemporary review of the research on racial disparities in police decision making. Design/methodology/approach State of the art literature review. Findings The findings are mixed on racial disparities in the primary policing domains of stops, arrests, use of force, and neighborhood deployment. While minorities are often overrepresented among those subjected to police enforcement actions, these findings vary considerably. Almost all of the current studies that have reported racial disparities in the exercise of police authority lack the methodological rigor or statistical precision to draw cause and effect inferences. Research limitations/implications Efforts underway to document the impact of body-worn cameras on citizen complaints and force used by police could be extended to examine the impact of cameras on racial disparities in other enforcement-related outcomes such as arrests, stops and frisks, or searches. In addition, evaluating the effects of police training, such as anti-bias training or training on police legitimacy, on reducing racial disparities in police enforcement outcomes is another promising line of research inquiry. Originality/value This paper provides a concise review of the current state of the literature on a topic that is dominating the national conversation currently underway about the role of the police in American society.

scholarly journals Police officers’ experiences as victims of hate crime

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 526-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob C. Mawby ◽  
Irene Zempi
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hate Crime ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to fill a research and literature gap by examining the nature and impact of hate crime victimisation on police officers, and their responses to it. The research explores victimisation due to the occupational stigma of policing and the personal characteristics and identities of individual officers.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is qualitative, based on 20 in-depth interviews with police officers in one English police force. Thematic analysis was applied to the data.FindingsAll participants had experienced hate crime arising from their occupational or personal identities. Initially shocked, officers became desensitized and responded in different ways. These include tolerating and accepting hate crime but also challenging it through communication and the force of law.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is based on a small sample. It does not claim to be representative but it is exploratory, aiming to stimulate debate and further research on a contemporary policing issue.Practical implicationsIf further research works were to confirm these findings, there are implications for police training, officer welfare and support, supervision and leadership.Originality/valueThe police occupy a problematic position within hate crime literature and UK legislation. This paper opens up debate on an under-researched area and presents the first published study of the hate crime experiences of police officers.

Special Weapons and Tactics operations

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 651-658
Author(s):  
Avdi S. Avdija
Keyword(s):  
Military Training ◽  
Police Training ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crowd Control ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the effects of differential police training on hostage rescue effectiveness. More specifically, this study looks at the types of police trainings that are the most effective in preparing Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers in dealing with hostage rescue situations. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a cross-sectional design. The analyses are based on a national sample of 341 law enforcement agencies, which employed at least 50 sworn officers. Findings To improve the SWAT response effectiveness in hostage rescue situations, this study shows that two factors play a significant role, namely, the training for hostage rescue situations and an increase in the average training hours per month. Among the types of trainings that were thought to be effective but did not show a significant effect in this present study were training for crowd control/civil unrest, having military training, and training for building searches. Practical implications Increased training hours specifically designed to address hostage situations increases the likelihood of successful hostage extractions. Thus, police departments should have specific training hours set aside for hostage situations. Originality/value This study attempts to identify specific types of police trainings that have a positive effect on improving SWAT effectiveness in dealing with hostage situations. There is a very limited number of research works on SWAT operations. This study, therefore, adds to this very limited research area of policing.

College cops: a study of education and policing in California

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Gardiner
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
The State ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Education ◽  
The Usa ◽  
College Educated

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the state of police education in California. There is limited national data on the topic and this study aims to improve our knowledge by studying the state with the highest number of law enforcement officers in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 162 local law enforcement agencies (police and sheriffs’ departments) in California completed a 32-question electronic survey about police education and training. Findings – Findings reveal that California agencies are more likely than agencies nationwide to offer incentives to encourage officers to pursue higher education. Although most departments require only a high school diploma, 35 percent of sworn officers are college graduates. Most college-educated officers are employed by medium and large sized agencies in urban counties which pay above-average salaries. Research limitations/implications – This paper demonstrates how the prevalence of educated police officers varies and that higher education requirements do not adversely affect the hiring of female officers. It also provides insight from police managers regarding their concerns about requiring a four-year degree and perceptions of whether college-educated officers are actually better officers than non-college-educated officers. Practical implications – Research findings may be instructive to police managers wanting to increase the number of sworn officers in their agency who hold a college degree. Originality/value – It adds to the literature by describing the education level of police officers in California and providing information about the educational requirements and incentives offered to officers by law enforcement agencies. No previous study has addressed this topic, even though California employs 12 percent of all sworn peace officers in the USA.

scholarly journals Policing “uncontrollable banshees”: factors influencing arrest decision making

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 183-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Young
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Decision Making ◽  
Arrest Decision ◽  
Determining Factor

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence police officers’ decision making when dealing with young women considered violent. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were carried out with frontline police officers in Scotland on their experiences of responding to incidents where young women displayed violence. Findings – The police officers clearly distinguished encounters with women using violence from those with young men, portraying young women as irrational, unpredictable and uncontrollable. The research found that while gender alone was not a determining factor for arrest, police officers did stereotype young women according to gender norms and these norms could have a bearing on decision making. The findings show that police officers prefer to respond to situations with male perpetrators due to their own difficulties effectively communicating with young women, who are often under the influence of alcohol. Research limitations/implications – The research indicates that police officers, regardless of their gender, have difficulties handling violent incidents that involve young women. This provides scope for further analysis of police training to ascertain whether sufficient guidance is provided to fully equip police officers when faced with aggressive young women. This study focused on police officers’ own views and experiences but future research could consider a more ethnographic approach to observe police decision making in practice to determine whether the stereotypes portrayed were a true reflection of their experiences. Originality/value – This is one of only a very few studies that has explored the relation between gender and arrest decision making. It enhances the understanding of how young women come to be arrested and indicates how police officers are currently ill equipped to effectively respond to young women considered violent.

Chinese police cadets’ attitudes toward police roles revisited

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Jay Cuvelier ◽  
Di Jia ◽  
Cheng Jin
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Community Building ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Academic Education ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Order Maintenance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Chinese Police

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between Chinese police cadets’ background, motivations and educational perceptions and their attitudes toward common police roles. Design/methodology/approach – Self-administered questionnaires were collected from 382 Chinese police cadets. Based upon predisposition and socialization theories, personal background, career motivation and attitudes toward education were examined as statistical explanations of cadets’ attitudes toward order maintenance, preventative patrol, law enforcement, and community building as elements of the police role. Findings – Cadets who recognized more value in their practical and academic education also significantly favored the transitional and contemporary police roles (preventative patrol, law enforcement, and community building), which are taught as part of their college curriculum. But educational perceptions had no effect on order maintenance, which is a more historical role, and not emphasized by the police college. Cadets from lower SES backgrounds and those receiving outside influence to select a policing career tended to support traditional police roles whereas cadets with a relative in policing tended to show greater support for contemporary policing roles. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited by being a cross-sectional study of a single police college. Future studies should incorporate a longitudinal element to follow the perceptions of cadets from their school experience into the policing profession and should be conducted in other settings to assess generalizability. Practical implications – The impact of higher education on police cadets appears to be better measured as a function of their perceived importance of education (engagement) rather than measuring their exposure to it. The effectiveness of police training and education may be enhanced by adopting teaching methods that better engage learners. Social implications – Better alignment between police officers’ attitudes toward their roles and duties and contemporary police standards and practices will assure more effective and responsible police action and delivery of police services to the community. Originality/value – This study is among the first to demonstrate that Cadets who hold higher regard for practical and academic education are significantly better aligned to the policing roles emphasized by their educational program.

scholarly journals The response of law enforcement agencies and police officers' experiences under the Covid-19 state of alarm in Catalonia, Spain

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Martínez-Catena ◽  
Montse Subirana-Malaret ◽  
Falgars Subirana-Malaret
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Terms

PurposeLaw enforcement agencies and police officers' efforts were crucial to oversee the public health measures and legal regulations introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study had two objectives: to examine the strategies implemented by law enforcement agencies in Catalonia (Spain) to monitor the pandemic and to explore the adverse working conditions of police officers and their personal difficulties during the state of alarm.Design/methodology/approachA total of 96 experienced police officers completed a closed-ended, anonymous online survey. In addition, complementary information was collected about the management of law enforcement agencies through open interviews. A descriptive analysis was carried out and the association between variables was explored.FindingsIn general terms, law enforcement agencies managed the uncertainty of the situation, with a focus on official information and communication channels between officers. However, many difficulties were reported by the police officers, such us inconsistency between rules, lack of preventive material or changes in work schedules. Besides, the officers' main concern, beyond the emotional impact suffered during this period, was the possibility of being infected or infecting others.Practical implicationsThe congruence between the job requirements and resources, as well as the increase of communication channels during situations of high risk are important variables to assure good job development and personal satisfaction of police officers.Originality/valueTo the knowledge of the authors, at the time of writing this paper, this is the first study in Spain to explore the management of law enforcement agencies and police officers' personal experiences during the Covid-19.

scholarly journals Police Training in Practice: Organization and Delivery According to European Law Enforcement Agencies

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisanne Kleygrewe ◽  
Raôul R. D. Oudejans ◽  
Matthijs Koedijk ◽  
R. I. (Vana) Hutter
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Police Training ◽  
European Law ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Training Time ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
Level Of Training ◽  
Administrative Structures ◽  
Available Resources

Police training plays a crucial role in the development of police officers. Because the training of police officers combines various educational components and is governed by organizational guidelines, police training is a complex, multifaceted topic. The current study investigates training at six European law enforcement agencies and aims to identify strengths and challenges of current training organization and practice. We interviewed a total of 16 police instructors and seven police coordinators with conceptual training tasks. A thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; Terry et al., 2017) was conducted and results organized in the two main themes evident across all six law enforcement agencies: organization of training and delivery of training. Results show that governmental structures and police executive boards are seen as the primary authorities that define the training framework in which police instructors operate. These administrative structures regulate distant and immediate resources, such as available training time, training facilities, equipment, and personnel. Within the confines of available resources and predetermined training frameworks, results indicate that police instructors thoroughly enjoy teaching, creating supportive and motivating learning environments, and applying their personal learning perspectives to training. Nonetheless, police instructors are critical of the level of training they are able to achieve with the available resources.

How commitment and satisfaction explain leave intention in police force?

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashid Ahmad ◽  
Talat Islam ◽  
Saima Saleem
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Professional Commitment ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Job Opportunities ◽  
Workplace Environments ◽  
Job Opportunity ◽  
Hr Managers ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of professional commitment and job satisfaction on leave intention considering alternative job opportunities as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 147 patrolling police officers on the basis of convenience sampling using a questionnaire-based survey.FindingsThe study noted that professionally committed and satisfied police officers are less likely to leave their organization. In addition, alternative job opportunities strengthen the negative association of professional commitment and job satisfaction with leave intention.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was conducted at one point of time and the majority of the respondents were male, therefore, the results might be gender biased. This study has implications for policymakers and HR managers.Practical implicationsLaw enforcement agencies and organizations should develop and sustain workplace environments where professional commitment and job satisfaction can positively influence the leave intentions of their employees. More specifically, it provides insight to the managers to retain talented and commitment employees in their organizations.Originality/valueThis study adds to the scant literature on professional commitment and alternative job opportunity in the context of police.

scholarly journals Domestic abuse orders: risk, vulnerability and training

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-167
Author(s):  
Rob Ewin ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bates ◽  
Julie C. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Domestic Abuse ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Professional Judgment ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
The Uk ◽  
And Training

Purpose The use of emergency barring orders (EBO) in the form of domestic violence protection notices and orders (DVPN-O) in reported domestic abuse (DA) cases is a relatively new development in the UK; the effectiveness of these orders has been challenged. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors influencing their issue. Design/methodology/approach Freedom of information (FOI) requests were used alongside a survey tool. Practitioners (n = 76; mainly police practitioners) were asked about approaches to EBO application, risk and training around DA. Findings The findings indicate that applications are impacted largely by domestic abuse stalking harassment risk grading, typically resulting in high-risk cases receiving the most attention. Criticisms suggesting that DVPN-Os are of limited use receive some support from this study; however, as their use is restricted to these higher-risk cases, the full effect of the orders may be limited. The most important factors in decision-making are the level of physical violence, repeated victimization and the victims support for a DVPN-O. Police intelligence and the presence of children also have an effect on risk ratings. Less importance was given to lower risk–graded cases, wider intelligence from family members and information from social networks. Findings also indicate that police training is largely limited to “on-the-job” experience, e-learning and e-mail bulletins. Practical implications Respondents proposed that training could be enhanced through victim stories, cross-discipline approaches and wider knowledge beyond isolated specialisms. A number of recommendations are made in line with: structuring professional judgment, using victim accounts in police training and movement toward an evidence-led approach. Originality/value This research demonstrates a clear link to the way in which risk and the use of EBO are used by police officers. This research also highlights the desire to see and hear from victims in police training. The value of this research is shown in both the combined approach of FOI requests and a survey and assessing a currently under-researched area of DA response.

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