...Police Culture Marissa Efros, Lysa Lawson, Awele Meju, Makita Walker, Joseph Washington CJA/214 May 24, 2012 Jesse Banks Police Culture The history of policing can be traced back to the beginning of time. When looking at the subject of police work there is a large culture and history that follows along with it. There are many topics that can be analyzed when identifying, and describing the elements and the significances that are associated with policing. A large element of the police job that plays a large factor in the work and attributes to the policing culture is the amount of stress that an office will face while performing on the job. Another part of the job that plays a large part in the culture of policing can be found when one examines how women and ethnic minorities have achieved equality in law enforcement. Finally, policing culture can be analyzed when looking at the internal and external mechanisms that influence and control police discretion. Police culture continues to puzzle the average citizen; not belonging to “the brotherhood.” Police officers command a certain respect simply by donning the uniform and carrying a badge. The police culture provides many benefits to individuals who belong to this private organization. Officers of the law have their own social circle that only persons with a badge and uniform are allowed to be a member of. Also, it has been shown that police officers have difficulty in relationships...
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...4 The Police Culture CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES O • Describe the various ways in which the police subculture conflicts with the official norms and values of policing. • Compare and contrast the various forms of an organization’s culture. • Identify and elaborate on variables that influence police officers’ acceptance of the subculture. • Describe the positive aspects of the police subculture. • Identify the sources of police stress. • Highlight the various strategies that both organizations and individual officers can implement to mitigate the negative effects of job-related stress. • Describe the ways that the police subculture and stress are related. • Identify and provide examples of the ways in which community policing can both increase and decrease stress levels among police officers. • Describe the characteristics associated with the phenomenon of police burnout. I n Chapter 4, we focus on organizational and administrative aspects of policing, on the formal structure and the impact of police leaders. While these formal considerations are crucial to an understanding of the police role, there are two other contributing factors that must be considered in our attempt to understand policing as an occupation: the police subculture and the pressures and stresses of police work. Police administrators and the law specify the broad parameters within which officers operate, 97 98 O INTRODUCTION TO POLICING O PHOTO 4.1 This patrol officer is attempting to explain to members...
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...Officer Recruitment and Selection Process for the Vermont Highway Patrol CJA/214 The basic eligibility requirements for being hired as a Vermont Trooper are to have a high school diploma or GED, age 21 and over, U.S. citizen, a background demonstrating good moral character, and satisfactory completion of Peace Officer Academy (POST) Entrance Exam (Vermont Department of Public Safety, 2013). The minimum requirements to become a Vermont Highway Patrol are that applicants must be a U.S. Citizen; must be at least 21 years of age as of initial testing date; must have a high school diploma or equivalent; may not have received more than three minor traffic violations within two years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or pled guilty to a lesser charge within two years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or pled guilty to a lesser charge within two years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of, or used hard drugs within five years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of, or used other drugs not classified as hard drugs within two years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of, or involved in the sale, manufacturing or cultivation of illegal drugs within five years prior to the initial test date; not been convicted of a felony as an adult, may not have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic...
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...Socialization & Police Culture 2- Shedding Light on Police Culture: An Examination of Officers' Occupational Attitudes • Police culture research posits that officers collectively hold positive attitudes toward aggressive stops of cars and checking out people as well as favorable attitudes toward selective enforcement of laws • Typology studies of police contrast the notion that all officers see the world through the same lens and suggest that officers might cope with the strains of their occupation differently • Changes in the demographics of police personnel (i.e., more females, racial minorities, and college-educated officers) as well as changes in policing philosophies (i.e., community policing) over the past...
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...Analyze Police Culture CJA 214 April 24, 2014 University of Phoenix Analyze Police Culture Police officers play a unique role in American society. Police officers are the "keepers" of society's well-being as they enforce the law and maintain the peace. In this role, it is important to review all relevant information that may affect their performance including the development of a subculture. A culture is the common set of morals, knowledge, and conduct that the members of the community share. Subcultures are a set of unwritten laws that restrict and control the behavior of individuals within the group. Police subculture directs officers on how complete their tasks, how hard to work, what kinds of relationships to have with their fellow officers and civilians. It establishes the nature of these interactions: whether they are aggressive or peaceful. The subculture determines how police officers should think and feel toward their police supervisors, officers of the court including judges and prosecutors and the laws they are required to enforce. Police subcultures can also describe to a few negative aspects of policing. It can refer to an "us versus them" approach to policing. The police out on the street, personally interact with “criminals” are referred as “us” while everyone else including “criminals”, “civilians” and even “senior police officials” are referred to as “them.” This mentality leads to the belief that they are the good guys and everyone else is a potential bad...
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...7 reasons the police culture is broken (and how to fix it)It is time for the law enforcement profession to think, act, train, prepare, lead, and live differently | The law enforcement profession is an honorable one. The men and women of law enforcement are committed to making their communities safer, and willing to risk their lives to accomplish that mission.However, some elements of the culture are broken, and in order to fix it we need leaders and trainers to think differently.1. Too many agencies still believe that putting someone in a leadership position makes him or her a leader. We fail to provide leadership training, and then wonder why we have a leadership void.The Solution: We need to acknowledge leadership is never about rank, position, or title. Those put you in a leadership position, but they do not make you a leader. Next, we need to understand leadership can be learned and can be developed. We should be providing ongoing leadership training to people in all levels of the organization starting with the patrol officers.2. Law enforcement in North America still operates on the mindset that the only time you get called into the boss’s office is when you are in trouble. We have a culture where we do not celebrate our daily successes and justify it by saying, “I am not going to pat you on the back for doing your job.”The Solution: You can start by celebrating all the things officers do on a daily basis. Celebrate when they solve crimes, work with the community, enhance...
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...Organizational Behavior in Police Departments Organizational Behavior in Police Departments The study of the behavior of humans in an organization is called organizational behavior (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, & Uhl-Blen, 2010). Organizational behavior is a discipline that attempts to understand group and individual behavior, organizational dynamics, and interpersonal processes in an effort to improve the performance of the people in an organization and the organization itself. In a police department, organizational behavior can benefit by becoming critical for management to succeed in meeting the organizations goals. To understand the complex forces that make up human behavior in organizations, the nature of the organization must be reviewed first. An organization is described as a group of people working together to achieve a common goal or purpose. In the police department, the core purpose is to serve and protect. Many police departments have evolved from past generations of officers, and many departments are influenced by the local history and cultures. Three other influences effect the police agencies and the organization, the size of the department, the technology available, and environmental factors. In a large police department, information management, and direction need more organization to be maintained. The technology in a police department is also important in the matter of archiving information and how it is managed...
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...According to Cole and Gertz (2013), community oriented police focuses on maintaining order in local neighborhoods (p.103). Their presence helps ease problems within the community such as domestic violence, rowdy teenagers, and drug houses. But the role of community police is changing as they face new challenges such as immigration, protest movements, and terrorism (Cole & Gertz, 2013). The 9/11 attacks added a dimension to policing that expanded their role beyond maintaining order. They have new responsibilities that include “fixed geographic responsibilities” as a method of preventing local terroristic threats. Police now examine their areas of responsibilities and help to determine the possible areas for attacks. In addition, they help to...
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...Cultural Considerations Mary Parker AJS 502 August 26, 2013 Susan Gorman Cultural Considerations Cultural diversity is normal in society today. People come from different races, cultures, and backgrounds. People have to learn the importance of respecting the culture of others. Everyone can learn from others. Superiority does not exist because of an individual’s culture. Some people from different cultural backgrounds believe that he or she is better than others but this is an untruth. Cultural concerns can have a negative influence on justice and security administration. Stereotyping because of an individual’s culture is a problem in society. Good people exist in every race and so do not so good people. One person of a specific culture making a mistake does not mean that the entire culture of people will make the same mistake. People of different cultures do not always receive fair treat in the justice system. An example of this would be an African American male who is serving 20 years in prison because he was falsely indentified during a lineup. People have to be willing to acknowledge that he or she is not sure that the individuals in the lineup are the guilty party. Some people like to say that African Americans look alike. This is not true. Some people may have similar features but this does not mean that he or she looks alike. African Americans are often not hired for certain positions for fear that he or she will not be honest. This type of behavior and...
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...Culture Diversity in Criminal Justice Elaine Ramon CJA/344 November 15, 2011 Sherry Caperton Culture Diversity in Criminal Justice Culture diversity is one of the many issues facing the criminal justice department, including police departments. Culture diversity is important to get over because of the cultural and religious differences it brings. Socializing and studying cultural diversity brings about a better understanding. The more we understand other cultures and religions, the more tolerant we become. Throughout history in law enforcement all policemen were white, and especially no police women. Before the 1960s police departments were guilty of employment discrimination by not hiring minorities and women. Police departments also required applicants to be a certain height to keep minorities from applying and didn’t hire nonwhites (cliffnotes.com, 2011). One of the first African Americans to be hired in the United States as police officer was in Jackson Tennessee in 1960. When James Cherry was hired as a police he was sure he would not be welcomed by the white community, but instead he was rejected by the black community. Although James Cherry was a police officer he still had to follow the segregation rules (Morris, 2003). The first woman police officer was discovered to be in Chicago. According to Feminist Majority Foundation women were often hired to protect and supervise other women and juveniles. In 1893 Mary Owens was the first woman to be hired by the Chicago...
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...Use of Force by Police in Law Enforcement Name Institution Professor Course Date Abstract This paper seeks to explore the use of force among police officers in law enforcement in urban cities and how it relates with common variables regarding police officers. Some of the police variables that will be discussed include race, education, experience, age. These variables will be comprehensively studied so as to ascertain if there exists any relationship among these variables and use of force among police office in law enforcement. Introduction The use of force presents one of the most controversial sectors of law enforcement in any given society. Recent developments have escalated concern about police use of force. These ranges from properly publicized occurrences involving accusations of excessive force to the inception of violent policing whose frequent emphasis is on zero tolerance law enforcement. The kind of police actions that most provoke public concern include fatal shootings, severe beatings with fists or batons that result in hospitalization of the victims, choke holds that cause oblivion or even death. The use of force by law enforcement personnel is permitted by law under certain circumstances such as in self-defense or in defense of another individual or group of persons (Barrett 2008). Law enforcement officers receive direction from their respective agencies on when to apply force during law enforcement, but there exists no universal set of regulations...
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...Running head: POLICE OFFICER II: ON THE JOB POLICE OFFICERS II: ON THE JOB Sigfredo A. Collazo Excelsior College Abstract Police officers are people the society should always be seen as the epitomes of discipline and guardian of law and order; however police behavior in recent years has been nothing but exemplary thus rising to extreme bitterness and disbelieve in the community. The community no longer trusts or respects police officers levying all sorts of charges against them. Police officers behavior is indeed despicable in some cases, especially where minorities or women are concerned. Police subculture is responsible for providing officers a different working attitude and mindset. Their character and personality are profoundly altered by the views and values that they learn from existing in this subculture. The one most important thing about this subculture is the idea of insiders and outsiders that lie at the center of all its values. Police officers are continuously reminded of their part as protectors of good order and discipline which turns them into the community as they view everyone outside the police department as a potential criminal or suspect. Police culture is also primarily characterized by violence. Many officers are exposed to a subculture of violence in which they encounter death almost daily. The police are influenced by a flawed subculture that profoundly affects the attitude and performance of most police officers. On one hand, this...
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...enforcing the law. Police officers are also responsible for displaying professional behavior and a professional demeanor when dealing with members of the public as well as establishing relationships of trust through their behavior. When police officers apply to much force or select criminal suspects based on their race or ethnic group their behavior can have negative consequences on the relationship established with the policing agency and members of the community. The behavior of the police ties are directly to the type of trust community members will have for police officers. If members of the community do not trust, the police because they do not display behavior fair and impartial the police will have difficulty persuading community members to cooperate in criminal investigations or even in community members report crimes. In order for the police officer to have the necessary skills and tools to establish a strong working relationship with community members that they must receive the proper training form his or her police organization. Organizational behavior is the actions and attitudes of the members of the organization. The police organization and the organizational structure will an enormous impact directly by the type of behavior demonstrated by the police officer (Maguire, 2003). How police organizations functions are essential to the behavior is affected by the leadership and the values and beliefs of other members of the police organization. In the...
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...the alcoholic cop was a commonplace fixture around police stations nationwide. Both large and small departments had to contend with the issues surrounding the disease of alcoholism and its progression among members of their forces. While it is common knowledge that the law enforcement profession is not the only occupational group to experience alcoholism among the ranks and the alcoholic officer is not unlike millions of others in the workforce that contend with the disease, how prevalent does the abuse of alcohol among police officers remain? It was 1975 when former law enforcement turned novelist, Joseph Wambaugh, shared The Choirboys with us. Wambaugh’s fictional tale of the shenanigans involving police officers spent a great deal of time discussing the use and abuse of alcohol by the police. Are cops are still turning up the bottle and at an alarming rate? From the Wambaugh’s tales of the after-shift meetings in MacArthur Park to today’s “stress-relief” briefings at various wing houses and sports bars across the country police officers are boozing it up and alcohol abuse among the profession has reached an all-time high. Recent studies indicate that one-quarter of all police officers in the U.S. are afflicted with the disease of alcoholism. Not surprisingly, studies have established a significant correlation between occupational stress and increased alcohol use by police officers today. Occupational stress, if untreated...
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...Police Influence on Society Stephanie Jennings CJA/344 February 11, 2013 Stephen Humphries Police Influence on Society There are different factors when it comes to the police influence on society. The factors can be both negative and positive on society. The police are in the community to protect and serve. The main purpose of law enforcement is to maintain order and to investigate criminal activity in the United States. The history of American policing was learned from Great Britain and adapted by America. The first ideal people to do the policing were healthy young boys and men that had come over with the Europeans on the first ships to venture to America (Trojanowicz, R. C., 1991). The main reason was to protect themselves from the natives who did not want to share their land. The natives, in time, became more settled and the two groups were able to live more successfully together. Policing became one of the primary duties of the Justices of the Peace. Evolution soon took hold of the colonies and they became cities and towns. This made it more of a priority to organize forms of law enforcement. In 1636, “The Night Watch” was born and it was to be a productive way to control the actions and criminal activities of the area of Boston. New York took the idea in 1651 and created the “Shout and Rattle Watch.” There was success and failures in both cities but Philadelphia felt that policing could be more productive is the area was divided and assigned to small...
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