WHO ARE THE POLICE Police and Education 98 of departments have an education requirement for new officers 16 require some type of college degree 9 a two year degree Only 1 of local police departments require a 4 year degree Preference for criminal justice majors b c of their enhanced knowledge of the system Benefits of high education Well educated officers can communicate better with the public Perform more effectively Less likely to have disciplinary problems Efforts to attract minority officers Aimed to gain confidence of the minority community by helping the view the police departments are bigoted organizations In some larger departments the percentage of minorities on the police force now reflects their representation in the general population A The African American Experience Minorities in Policing B Women in Policing 1 The first African American was hired in Washington D C in 1872 2 Work assignments were restricted along with chance of promotion 3 Double Marginality the social burden that African American officers carry by being both minority group and members of the law enforcement 25 of local police officers are of the minority Report more job related stress and strain then white officers 4 5 6 Two shades of blue that is black and white officers have different attitudes towards the role of police in society 1 1910 Alice Stebbins Wells became the first women to hold the title of police officer and have the power to arrest in Los Angeles 2 Women struggle for acceptance because they are seen as weaker and endure separate criteria for selection 3 Common to be sexually harassed at work 4 5 More likely to have harsher punishment then males for misconduct Women are highly successful police officers and received more support from the community 6 16 of all sworn officers in larger cities are women African American account for less than 5 C Gender conflicts 1 Women not accepted by male peers 2 Catch 22 dilemma If they are physically weak male partners view them as a risk If they are more powerful then male partner they are an affront to male manhood THE POLICE PROFESSION Police culture Blue Curtain The secretive insulated police culture that isolated officers from the rest of society There is an independent and unique police culture which insulates police officers from the rest of society This culture has distinct rules and loyalties Police culture is characterized by cynicism clannishness secrecy and insulation from others in society Largely developed from on the job experience Six core beliefs are viewed as being the heart of police culture Police are the only real crime fighters 1 2 No one understands the real nature of police work 3 Loyalty to colleagues counts above everything else 4 The war against crime cannot be won without bending the rules 5 The public is unsupportive and unreasonably demanding Police personality Experts belive the police personality is shaped by constant exposure to danger and the need to use force and authority to defuse and control threatening situations Policing attracts recruits who are by nature cynical authoritarian and secretive Others maintain that socialization and experience on the police force itself causes these character traits to develop Cynicism the belief that most peoples actions are motivated solely by personal needs and selfishness The working personalities adopted by officers that can range from being a social worker in blue to being a hard charging crime fighter Four distinct styles have been identified The crime fighter the social agent the law enforcer and the watchman Police Styles Police Discretion Discretion is the use of personal decision making and choice in carrying out operations in the criminal justice system A number of factors influence police discretion the crime in question victim factors environmental factors departmental factors peer factors suspect behavior and characterizes and officer characteristics Overload hypothesis theory that police workload influences discretion so that as workload increases less time and attention can be devoted go new cases esp petty crimes Low visibility decision making decision making by the police the is not subject to administrative review e g not to arrest someone or stop a speeding vehicle Demeanor the way a person outwardly manifests his her personality Problems in Policing Job stress 1 Stress leads to negative attitudes burn outs loss of enthusiasm and commitment increased apathy substance abuse problems divorce health issues and many other social personal and job related problems 2 Police psychologist have divided stressors into four categories External stressor such as verbal abuse from the public or the court decision that favor the criminal Organizational stressor such as low pay and excessive paperwork Duty stressor such as rotating shifts work overload boredom and fear Individual stressors such as marital difficulties and personal problems 1 May be at higher risk for acting inappropriately or being injured on the job Fatigue Violence and Brutality 1 Police Brutality actions such as using abusive language making threats using force unnecessarily prodding with nightsticks and stopping searching people to harass them 2 Only a small portion of officers are involved in problem behavior Corruption 1 Corruption consist of exercising legitimate discretion for improper reasons or using illegal means to achieve approved goals 2 The Knapp Commission A public body that conducted an investigation into police corruption in New York City in the early 1970s and uncovered a wide spread of bribing and pay offs Meat Eaters police officers who activity solicits bribes and engages in corrupt practices Grass Eaters police officers that accept pay offs when everyday duties place him in a position to be solicited by the public 3 Mollen Commission An investigative unit set up to inquire into police corruption in New York City in 1990s Types of corruptions identified Internal corruption takes place among officers themselves Selective enforcement or nonenforcement abuse of discretion Active criminality participation by police in serious criminal behavior and Bribery police roles are exploited to raise money 4 Cause of corruption Police personality Institutions and practices Moral Ambivalence Environmental conditions Corrupt departments Officer characteristics 5 Controlling corruption Accountability system A system that makes police supervisors responsible for the behaviors of the officers in their
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