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1 – 10 of over 10000Mahesh K. Nalla, Joseph D. Johnson and Gorazd Meško
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of police‐security relationships in three different continents that are unique in their economic, political, and social culture…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of police‐security relationships in three different continents that are unique in their economic, political, and social culture. These countries include a developed economy (USA), an emerging economy (South Korea), and a transitional economy (Slovenia). More specifically, it compares the views that private and public police personnel in a diverse set of countries hold about one another on various issues relating to their working relationships and their efforts to improve them.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for the paper came from 1,158 police and security officers from the USA, South Korea, and Slovenia. All three studies employed survey methodology. The English language instruments are translated into the Korean and Slovenian languages and both instruments are back translated from the respective languages into English to check for validity.
Findings
While the findings for all the three countries vary in terms of the degree of personnels' positive attitudes toward one another, the overall levels of support from security professionals toward police officers appear positive in all the three countries. Among the police, personnel from the USA relative to other countries appear to have the most progressive and accepting attitude toward security personnel's role as partners. The varying degree of differences between South Korea and Slovenia may be a reflection of the centralized police structures, cultural and historical characteristics, and variations in the levels of economic liberalization policies. Findings suggest that in all the three countries security personnel are trying to reach out to the police to play their part in community policing compared to the police reaching out to the private sector.
Research limitations/implications
There is a time lag in data collection (seven‐year period) as the data for this paper were not collected at one point in time in these countries. Despite this limitation, the use of many identical questions in surveys in all the three countries offers an opportunity for this comparative research.
Originality/value
Most research on police officers' job satisfaction has been done in relation to individual factors while ignoring the role of organizational culture and environmental factors. Further, this setting offers an opportunity to test if democratization of police organizations influences job satisfaction.
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Lloyd J. Taylor, Becki Murphy and William Price
This study seeks to investigate the nature and extent of employee retention and turnover for metropolitan police and fire departments.
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to investigate the nature and extent of employee retention and turnover for metropolitan police and fire departments.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to maximize the system production, the weakest link must be improved and all other links in the processes regulated to the speed of the weakest link. The weakest link is the constraint. In the case of public safety employee retention, there are several reasons given why employment is terminated. In order to increase the number of public safety personnel that are retained, all steps must be examined together to determine the constraint; the core problem for termination. Since the constraint is not always obvious, Goldratt developed the thinking process. This is a series of steps used to locate the constraint, determine the solution, and how to implement the solution. These steps are actually referred to as the thinking process.
Findings
Findings suggest that a proper cause and effect process will produce a desired path to change. It was determined how one type of organization could contain employee turnover by using the logic of Goldratt's thinking process.
Research limitations/implications
This procedure is practical and can be applied to any problem anywhere at any time. This allows further research into other settings.
Practical implications
This process underscores the importance for a systematic process of problem‐solving by pin‐pointing the problem, determining a workable solution, and implementing the solution. The key is to begin by looking for the underlying causes of the problem which produces an undesirable effect. Using this structured cause and effect process, a future reality tree is then developed with the desired effect. This research reveals how the Goldratt thinking process can be applied to business problems with multiple variables.
Originality/value
This research is based on an actual situation in which employee retention was a problem for five years. By improving employee retention, additional human resource expenses are significantly reduced.
This study aims to investigate the relationship of work‐family conflict (work‐to‐family conflict and family‐to‐work conflict) with job and family satisfaction among police…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship of work‐family conflict (work‐to‐family conflict and family‐to‐work conflict) with job and family satisfaction among police personnel. Moreover, this study focuses on exploring the moderating effect of social support from co‐workers on the relationship of work‐family conflict dimensions with job and family satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is quantitative in nature. The data for the present study were collected from a total of 148 police personnel based in India.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that work‐to‐family and family‐to‐work conflict are negatively correlated with job satisfaction. Moreover, social support from co‐workers is observed to significantly moderate the relationship of work‐to‐family and family‐to‐work conflict with family satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
The research has a few limitations like cross‐sectional nature of the study, use of self‐reported measures for data collection, and use of homogenous sample in the study.
Practical implications
This paper provides valuable insights into understanding the work‐family conflict among police personnel. A few measures are suggested that higher authorities in the police department can adopt to minimize the work‐family conflict, which can lead to better work‐life balance among police personnel.
Originality/value
This study explores the phenomenon of work‐family conflict and its effect on job and family satisfaction among police personnel in India. The Indian police system is unique in many ways; like, police personnel face high political interference in their day‐to‐day functioning, face very high job demands, work and live in unhygienic conditions, and receive very little support from higher authorities. These atypical working and living conditions of police personnel make it interesting and informative to understand their work and family life, and how and to what extent their life is influenced by the support from co‐workers.
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Mahesh K. Nalla and Eui‐Gab Hwang
The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of the working relationship between police officers and private security officers in South Korea. More specifically, this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of the working relationship between police officers and private security officers in South Korea. More specifically, this study examines how police officers and security personnel perceive the working relationships between the two organizations, their attitudes on the professionalism of security personnel, their views of ways to improve the working relationship, and their perceptions of the future of public and private police relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Similar to the experience of many developed and developing economies, South Korea has experienced a significant increase in the number of private security personnel employed in the last three decades relative to the employment data on law enforcement officers. To reveal the nature of the working relationship between the two groups, this study utilized a recent survey of 258 police officers and 134 private security officers in South Korea.
Findings
While both law enforcement and private security officers were positive about their relationship with each other, security officers are more optimistic about achieving improvements in police/security relationships. Further, the findings also reveal that both police officers and security professionals believe that the other group could do more to encourage a positive working relationship.
Research limitations/implications
While this research has made modest inroads into assessing the views of street level bureaucrats, further research is also needed to assess the extent to which the administrators of both public and private police organizations consider each other viable partners in addressing citizens' safety concerns.
Practical implications
The level of optimism and support among private security personnel concerning the role of security is greater than that of police officers, which indicated that the police could do more to improve the relationship between the two.
Originality/value
Empirical research on the nature of the relationship between the public and the private professionals in a South Korean context enabled investigation into the aspects inherent to developing countries.
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Fauzia Jabeen, Maryam Al Hashmi and Vinita Mishra
This study aims to explore the antecedents that may lead to turnover intentions among police personnel in the United Arab Emirates.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the antecedents that may lead to turnover intentions among police personnel in the United Arab Emirates.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from police personnel (n = 176) through a questionnaire survey, and structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships.
Findings
The findings revealed that the work-family conflict and job autonomy significantly correlate with turnover intentions. Alternatively, perceived organizational support does not predict turnover intentions.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited by the study’s subjective assessment of police personnel turnover intentions through self-reported questionnaires. It provides implications for policymakers, organizational behavioral experts and those interested in formulating effective strategies to reduce turnover among police personnel.
Originality/value
This study offers a novel context as it assesses police personnel in an emerging Middle Eastern country. It provides insights to policymakers and academia concerning the factors strongly linked with police personnel turnover intentions and will help them formulate strategies for improving personnel satisfaction and advancing relationships between police and the community.
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The paper aims to relocate discussions on police stops and police interactions from the Anglophone world to the particularistic context of the post-colonial state of India. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to relocate discussions on police stops and police interactions from the Anglophone world to the particularistic context of the post-colonial state of India. The paper further frames the everyday policing practices in a theoretical dialog between questions of legitimacy, accountability and tolerated illegalities. For that purpose, the author contextualizes the discussion in the post-colonial state of India, in the jurisdictions of two police stations (PSs), in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the State of Kerala.
Design/methodology/approach
The author conducted ethnographic studies in one station each in Kerala and Delhi, India, from February to July 2019 and July 2019 to January 2020, respectively. The study mapped everyday power relations as the relations manifested within the site and jurisdiction of the PSs.
Findings
Through the research, the author found that to fully understand everyday practices of policing, especially police interactions and police stops, one must contextualize the police force within the administrative power-sharing relations, police force's accountability structures, legal procedures and class dynamics, which mark the terrain in which personnel function. In that terrain, the author found that the dialog between particularistic legitimacy, accountability and tolerated illegalities offered an important framework to interpret the everyday policing practices.
Originality/value
Through the paper, the author seeks to expand the analysis of ethnographic descriptions of policing by contextualizing them in the political economy of the state. In doing so, the author aims to provide a framework through which police interactions in post-colonial India could be understood
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Mark H. Chae and Douglas J. Boyle
The purpose of this paper is to explore risk and protective factors associated with suicidal ideation among law enforcement personnel.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore risk and protective factors associated with suicidal ideation among law enforcement personnel.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology employed is based on the “Best Evidence Synthesis” approach, whereby researchers systematically examine and integrate the most empirically sound available research on the topic under investigation.
Findings
Results of studies showed that the interaction of multiple risk factors had a cumulative effect in increasing the risk for suicidal ideation. In total, five prominent aspects of policing were associated with risk for suicidal ideation: organizational stress; critical incident trauma; shift work; relationship problems; and alcohol use and abuse. Studies also indicated that protective factors and preventative measures had stress‐buffering effects which decreased the impact of police stressors.
Research limitations/implications
The model is limited because few studies have employed methodologically‐sound research designs to test risk and protective factors related to police suicide. This conceptual overview may facilitate theory development and provide directions for future research.
Practical implications
Law enforcement agencies which implement programs that assist police personnel in developing active coping styles, identify and access available social support systems, as well as utilize community‐based services may decrease risk for suicidal ideation. This review provides practical applications for law enforcement training, education, and program development.
Originality/value
The paper represents the most recent review of risk and protective factors related to suicidal ideation among police personnel. This integration of research provides police practitioners with an evidence‐based ecological framework that can be applied universally in police management settings.
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Carlena Orosco and Janne E. Gaub
While police culture typically refers to the culture among sworn police personnel, there are internal cultural differences between subgroups. This has been documented among sworn…
Abstract
Purpose
While police culture typically refers to the culture among sworn police personnel, there are internal cultural differences between subgroups. This has been documented among sworn personnel, such as the difference between street cops and management cops (Reuss-Ianni, 1983). The divide between professional and sworn staff in a law enforcement context has also been discussed at length (Maguire, 1997; Reiss, 1992), specifically the “us versus them” mentality that stems from feelings of isolation among professional and sworn staff. The relationship between dispatchers and officers is vital to public and officer safety; it is imperative that cultural barriers preventing effective collaboration between two of the most critical components of policing are identified, and recommendations to bridge the gap are provided.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use semi-structured interview data from a sample of peer-nominated top dispatch de-escalators (TDDs) considered highly skilled at de-escalation with callers and officers. Reflexive coding techniques were used to identify key themes in an area largely unexamined by research.
Findings
The authors find that the police culture creates friction between sworn officers and dispatchers in a number of contexts. This diminishes organizational commitment and increases burnout and frustration.
Practical implications
There are several policy recommendations for both communications centers and sworn staff to foster understanding and increase collaboration, all of which may result in improved outcomes for community members, dispatchers and officers.
Originality/value
The authors use qualitative methods to explore the implications of the sworn-civilian divide for police practice, such as more effective de-escalation and incident resolution, as well as the conceptualization of police culture writ large.
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Isobel Sheard, Melissa Ellen Burnett and Helen St Clair-Thompson
Police personnel report relatively high rates of mental health difficulties, and are at an increased risk of experiencing stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress and anxiety…
Abstract
Purpose
Police personnel report relatively high rates of mental health difficulties, and are at an increased risk of experiencing stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress and anxiety as a result of the nature of their work and may also experience low compassion satisfaction. However, it is likely that the prevalence of psychological distress varies across roles. The purpose of this paper is to explore psychological distress, in a large sample of police personnel, examining differences between individuals in a number of police roles.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire assessing experience of mental health problems, perceived stress, compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress), compassion satisfaction and anxiety was administered to 602 police personnel, who were classified into one of ten roles (24/7 officers, communications, firearms, crime, resolution without deployment, neighbourhood, custody, safeguarding, operations and other roles). Differences based on role and the requirement for shift work were then examined.
Findings
24/7 officers had higher compassion fatigue and lower compassion satisfaction than individuals in a number of other roles. Firearms officers had lower levels of perceived stress and anxiety. Resolution without deployment officers reported higher secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue. The findings also revealed that respondents who partake in shift work showed higher levels of perceived stress.
Originality/value
This is the first study to the authors’ knowledge to investigate experience of mental health problems and reports of psychological distress in different roles within a UK police force. The findings have important implications, for example, in terms of identifying groups who may be particularly at risk from psychological distress.
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L. Thomas Winfree and Terrance J. Taylor
Explorations of the police work world in the USA typically involve non‐random, unrepresentative samples of widely dispersed law enforcement agencies. Questions about officer…
Abstract
Explorations of the police work world in the USA typically involve non‐random, unrepresentative samples of widely dispersed law enforcement agencies. Questions about officer selection, training and performance standards make comparisons of agency‐based studies – especially among large city, small town, and rural law enforcers – difficult. In the present study, unique region‐specific comparisons (i.e. metropolitan vs small‐town vs rural duty stations) of the New Zealand Police (NZP) add to this body of knowledge for several reasons. First, the sample includes both sworn and non‐sworn personnel, a rarity in US policing studies. Second, the “police agency” under study is a unified, national policing organization. This fact minimizes the vagaries of recruitment, selection and training found in the USA. Third, the data represents a random stratified sample of all official personnel who provide a wide range of police‐related services in New Zealand, achieving a level of representativeness that is rare in police studies. Fourth, the shared common law tradition and more recent focus on community‐oriented policing provide a unique opportunity to examine topics relevant to both New Zealand and the USA. The policy and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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