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Good guys wear black: uniform color and citizen impressions of police

Ernest Nickels (SUNY Oswego, Department of Police Justice, State University of New York, Oswego, New York, USA)

Policing: An International Journal

ISSN: 1363-951X

Publication date: 7 March 2008

Abstract

Purpose

–

The purpose of this article is to examine whether officer uniform color influences impressions the public forms about the character of police officers.

Design/methodology/approach

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A survey using digitally manipulated photographic prompts was used to examine how various levels of officer race, posture, and uniform color as well as a number of other experiential, attitudinal and demographic variables influenced subjects' impressions of officers' character on factor scores constructed from a set of semantic differential scales.

Findings

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Officer uniform color influences impression formation, but not in the expected manner. Black uniforms elicited more positive impressions of officers than did lighter uniforms.

Research limitations/implications

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Convenience sample was drawn from university undergraduates.

Practical implications

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Darker uniforms for police may enhance favorable character impressions formed by some sectors of the public.

Originality/value

–

The research instrument improves measurement validity over prior methods while maintaining a precise experimental control. Findings contradict the conclusions of prior research on public perceptions of darker vs lighter police uniforms.

Keywords

  • Police
  • Clothing and accessories
  • Colour
  • Corporate identity

Citation

Nickels, E. (2008), "Good guys wear black: uniform color and citizen impressions of police", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 77-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/13639510810852585

Download as .RIS

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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