Exploring Differing Experiences of a Masculinity Contest Culture in Policing and the Impact on Individual and Organizational Outcomes

2020 ◽  
pp. 109861112097609
Author(s):  
Angela L. Workman-Stark
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Organizational Outcomes ◽  
Masculine Norms ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Occupational Role ◽  
Secondary Survey ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Zero Sum ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Female Officers

Despite increasing allegations of misconduct, police organizations continue to overlook the environmental factors that contribute to harassment and other forms of misconduct. Using secondary survey data collected from a Canadian police organization ( N = 488), this study explored the specific factors that might contribute to masculinity contest cultures (i.e., cultures akin to a zero-sum competition with rules defined by masculine norms; MCCs). This study also examined whether MCC norms are experienced differently based on level within the organization, occupational role, and employee sex. The study findings suggest that MCC norms may be amplified by a shortage of personnel, and certain policies and practices that pit members against each other. The study also found that MCC norms are not necessarily perceived in the same way. For instance, female and frontline police officers were more likely to perceive their workplace as a MCC. Female officers were also more likely to experience harassing behaviors. This study makes a significant contribution to research and practice as it advances our understanding of MCCs within policing and how they might be changed.

Who Am I? Who Are We? Exploring the Factors That Contribute to Work-Related Identities in Policing†

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela L Workman-Stark
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Psychological Safety ◽  
The Body ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Fair Treatment ◽  
Occupational Role ◽  
Secondary Survey ◽  
Female Officers

Abstract Using social identity theory, this study examines the conditions under which police officers become attached (or not) to their organization and to their work, and whether one’s sex influences these relationships. Through an analysis of secondary survey data collected from a large Canadian police organization, the study found that fair treatment and psychological safety were significantly related to officers’ identification with their organization, and in turn, their work. The findings also demonstrated that when officers perceived their workplace as a masculinity contest, they were less likely to identify with their organization. Additionally, perceptions of a masculinity contest were associated with a greater likelihood that officers reported lower levels of psychological safety, and this effect was more significant for female officers. While women overall were no less likely than men to be attached to their organization or their occupational role, women who perceived their workplace as psychologically less safe reported lower levels of identification. The study also found that race and level within the organization may have a greater effect than sex on work-related identification. Overall, the study makes a significant contribution to the nascent literature on work-related identification and policing, as well as to the body of research on women in policing.

“Just do what you can […] make it work!” Exploring the impact of rapid population growth on police organizations in western North Dakota

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 805-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorvald O. Dahle ◽  
Carol A. Archbold
Keyword(s):  
Population Growth ◽  
North Dakota ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Rapid Population Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil Boom ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Western North Dakota ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how rapid population growth resulting from the oil boom affects police organizations in western North Dakota. Design/methodology/approach – Using face-to-face interviews with 101 police personnel working in eight law enforcement agencies, this study explores how rapid population growth affects police organizations (in general), police resources, and the work environment of police organizations located in four counties in western North Dakota. Resource dependency theory and contingency theory provide a theoretical framework for understanding how changes in the communities (external environment) have led to changes within police organizations in this region. Findings – Rapid population growth resulting from the oil boom in western North Dakota has required police agencies to make changes in the way that they are structured and function. In addition, the rapid increase in population has also strained police organizations’ resources. Research limitations/implications – The findings from this study may only be applicable to police organizations in western North Dakota. Interviews are based on police officers’ perceptions. Practical implications – Findings from this study suggest that police organizations in western North Dakota are currently experiencing a bad “fit” with their external environment. In order to get back to a good “fit” additional resources are needed from the state government. Social implications – The number of calls for police service have increased dramatically since the oil boom began in 2008 in the Bakken region of western North Dakota. The addition of police officers and needed resources has not kept pace with the rapid population growth. The quality of police service to the public will decline if additional resources are not made available to police organizations. Originality/value – This paper features the first and only study of the impact of rapid population growth on police organizations in western North Dakota. This study is both timely and important as the population growth in western North Dakota is predicted to continue for several decades into the future.

scholarly journals The relationship between stressors and police job involvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanif Qureshi ◽  
Eric G. Lambert ◽  
James Frank
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Job Involvement ◽  
Job Stressors ◽  
Fear Of Victimization ◽  
Workplace Stressors ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Indian State ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Police organizations are tasked with a wide variety of duties, and officers often encounter stressful situations. Past studies have indicated that job stressors are negatively related to job involvement, which, in turn, is positively related to several beneficial outcomes. The present study empirically tested the job demands model with data obtained from a police agency in India. Survey data was collected from 827 police officers in the Indian state of Haryana. Analysis was carried out to determine the impact of job stressors (role overload, role underload, repetitiveness, role ambiguity, fear of victimization, and role conflict) on job involvement. Findings indicate that all stressors except fear of victimization had a negative effect on job involvement. The implications of the findings, for organizations in general and the police in particular, include the need to reduce workplace stressors and improve the work environment.

scholarly journals Hearing their voices and counting them in: The place of Canadian LGBTQ police officers in police culture

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Joe L. Couto
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Work Environments ◽  
Police Culture ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Workplace Harassment ◽  
Police Service ◽  
Masculine Norms ◽  
Police Organizations

The growing presence of LGBTQ police officers and civilian personnel within police organizations, their presence at LGBTQ community events, increased recruitment efforts, and the emergence of LGBTQ advocacy groups within polic-ing invites research into the lived experiences of these police service members. My 2014 study of 21 LGBTQ sworn police officers in Ontario revealed that most officers believe their status and relationships in their workplaces are more positive today compared to other eras. However, it also found that they believe that police culture fundamentally retains a hyper-masculine and heterosexual orientation. A subsequent study of the intersectionality of gender and sexual orientation for gay female sworn police officers found that being “female” and being “gay” exposes LGBTQ female police officers to challenges regarding both their gender and their sexual orientation—specifically workplace harassment and having to conform to masculine “norms”. However, the research also suggests that these and other challenges in a police environ-ment based on sexual orientation are not as overt as those based on gender alone. Understanding such subtle differences is vital to creating inclusive and supportive work environments in which LGBTQ members can thrive and contribute as their authentic selves and find legitimacy and respect as police professionals.

The Effects of Body-Worn Cameras on Violent Police Victimization

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
Citizen Interactions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been presented as a technological innovation to cultivate greater civility in police–citizen interactions. Attempts have been made to clarify the impact of BWCs upon various policing outcomes, but the effects of BWCs on assaults against police has received scant research attention. Existing studies have been limited to a handful of jurisdictions with limited generalizability to a broader range of police organizations. Combining a number of official data sets for the years 2011–13, the current study assesses the relationship between BWCs and police victimization by focusing on total assaults and firearm assaults against police officers in a sample of 516 police agencies. The results indicate that BWC usage is negatively associated with police victimization in both models. This suggests that BWCs can assist in preventing the occurrence of general and extreme violence against police in a wide range of law enforcement agencies in varied settings.

Examining Police Officer Work Stress Using the Job Demands–Resources Model

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Frank ◽  
Eric G. Lambert ◽  
Hanif Qureshi
Keyword(s):  
Role Conflict ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Work Stress ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Role Overload ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Indian State ◽  
The Impact

Policing has long been recognized as a stressful, emotionally trying, and sometimes dangerous occupation. Job stress is related to several harmful outcomes for officers, and ultimately police organizations. The present study empirically examined the applicability of the job demands–resources model to explain levels of work stress experienced by a sample of police officers in India. Survey data collected from 827 officers in the Indian state of Haryana were examined to determine the impact of five job demands and four job resources on work stress. Our findings suggest that role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload are associated with higher levels of officer stress, whereas organizational support, formalization, and employee input in decision making are all associated with lower levels of stress. The implications of our findings for policing and the job demands–resources model are also discussed.

Cross-Cultural Collaboration for Community-Oriented Policing and Restorative Justice

2019 ◽  
pp. 454-472
Author(s):  
Anthony H. Normore ◽  
Brian Ellis ◽  
Kerry Clamp ◽  
Craig Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Restorative Justice ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Police Leadership ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Community Oriented Policing ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Impact

This chapter proposes ways to actively shape future cross-cultural police leadership and collaboration within and across police cultures. The ideas presented are intended to create dialogue across modern police organizations and those who lead them. All four authors are connected with police work either as police officers, police researchers, or criminology instructors. We highlight the impact of restorative justice in policing, community-oriented policing, and collaboration of the law enforcement community within US and UK. Examples of these efforts are embedded throughout the chapter to corroborate our argument for more collaboration within and across cultures if contemporary policing is to be successful. Future research directions are presented.

Cross-Cultural Collaboration for Community-Oriented Policing and Restorative Justice

2015 ◽  
pp. 255-272
Author(s):  
Anthony H. Normore ◽  
Brian Ellis ◽  
Kerry Clamp ◽  
Craig Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Restorative Justice ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Police Leadership ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Community Oriented Policing ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Impact

This chapter proposes ways to actively shape future cross-cultural police leadership and collaboration within and across police cultures. The ideas presented are intended to create dialogue across modern police organizations and those who lead them. All four authors are connected with police work either as police officers, police researchers, or criminology instructors. We highlight the impact of restorative justice in policing, community-oriented policing, and collaboration of the law enforcement community within US and UK. Examples of these efforts are embedded throughout the chapter to corroborate our argument for more collaboration within and across cultures if contemporary policing is to be successful. Future research directions are presented.

Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Police Officers Following Violent Assaults

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karoline Ellrich ◽  
Dirk Baier
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Trauma Severity ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Impact

Based on a study of 681 German police officers who were violently assaulted we analyze first general pre-, peri- and post-traumatic risk factors (e.g. trauma severity, psychological adjustment, social support) of post-traumatic stress symptoms, second police-specific factors (e.g. colleague support) and third differences in the impact of these factors comparing male and female officers. Using regression analysis we show that risk factors that were found to be important for the general population partly hold for the special group of victimized police officers. Regarding police-specific factors regular preparatory and follow-up sessions reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms, while facing legal action following the assault increases it. The findings also reveal that three factors are significantly more strongly correlated with post-traumatic stress symptoms for female compared to male officers.

Officers’ views on women in policing

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 734-748
Author(s):  
Doris C. Chu
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Police Work ◽  
Attitudes Toward Women ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Organizations ◽  
Women's Role ◽  
Female Officers ◽  
Cross National

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how receptive police officers are to having women as partners and supervisors at work in a cross-national context. Specifically, it compares male and female police officers’ views on women in policing along three dimensions in Dubai and Taipei: perceived efficacy of women in policing; receptiveness of women at work (as partners and supervisor); and perceived women’s role in police work.Design/methodology/approachSurveys (with the same instrument) were conducted with 622 officers (344 male and 278 female officers) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and 391 officers (297 male and 94 female officers) in Taipei, Taiwan. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to compare male and female officers’ views on women in policing in both countries.FindingsIt was found that female officers (in Dubai and Taipei) were more likely than their male colleagues to see women as capable and effective in performing police duties. Compared to their colleagues in Taiwan, the Emirati male and female officers were more likely to be supportive of women’s restricted role in policing. Dubai male officers were less likely to be receptive to working at a unit with a female as their supervisor in comparison to their female colleagues in both countries.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this study provides important information from a cross-national perspective, caution should be taken while interpreting these findings. The gender roles embedded in Islamic cultures seem to explain Dubai officers’ favorable attitudes toward women’s restricted role in policing. Future studies should incorporate in-depth interviews to explain why officers in Dubai prefer women’s restricted roles in policing.Practical implicationsThe statistical analyses show that officers with higher levels of confidence not only held more positive attitudes toward women in policing, but also were more receptive to having women as their partners and supervisors. It suggests that confident officers would be more open-minded and welcome the entry of women into police work. By offering training courses that enhance officers’ work confidence, police organizations in both countries might well cultivate a welcoming work environment for women.Social implicationsIf police organizations in Taiwan and the UAE instill cultures with an emphasis less on masculine traits than on collaborative style, male officers might free themselves from traditional gender norms and become more welcoming to women who work in policing.Originality/valuePrevious scholarly efforts on examining different areas of women in policing have mainly focused on police officers in western countries, leaving a relative scarcity of information about how officers perceive women’s role in policing in the other parts of the globe. Female officers have to work hand in hand with male officers in policing. To enhance the efficiency of deployment and cohesion of work relationship among male and female officers, it is important to understand how male officers perceive women’s roles in policing and how receptive they are to having women as partners. Understanding their perceptions from both sides can help administrations initiate effective training and educational programs.

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