Search results

Empirical literature is the primary source of understanding how policing can effectively reduce criminal activities. Spatial analyses can identify particular effects that can explain and assist in constructing appropriate regional strategies and policies; nevertheless, studies that use spatial regression methods are more limited and can provide a perspective on specific effects in a more disaggregated regional context.

This research aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to understand the relationship between crime indicators and police production using spatial regression models. We consider a combination of Kitchenham and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocols as a methodological strategy in five bibliographic databases for collecting scientific articles.

The SLR suggests a limited amount of evidence that meets the criteria defined in the research strategy. Several particularities are observed regarding police and criminal production metrics, either in terms of aggregation level, indicator transformations or scope of analysis. A broader time perspective did not necessarily indicate statistical significance compared to models with a single-period sample.

The findings suggest the possibility of expanding efforts by the public sector to provide policing data with the intention of conducting appropriate research using spatial analysis. This step could allow for a more robust integration between the public sector and researchers, strengthening policing strategies, evaluating the effectiveness of public security policies and assisting in the development of strategies for future policy actions.

Limited empirical evidence meets the criteria of spatial regression models with temporal components considering police production and criminality indicators. Constructing an SLR with this scope is an unprecedented contribution to the literature. The discussion can enhance the understanding of approaches for studying the relationship between police efforts and crime prevention.

This study employed technological frames of reference (TFR) theory to explore officer attitudes toward body-worn cameras (BWCs) in the Chicago Police Department (CPD), identifying frames that may undermine compliance.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 officers, focusing on their perceptions of the BWCs’ purpose, adoption catalysts, effectiveness metrics and benefits and drawbacks.

Officers viewed BWCs primarily as tools for oversight and cited external influences and the department’s desire to be perceived as progressive as key catalysts for BWC adoption. There was widespread uncertainty regarding the criteria CPD uses to gauge BWC effectiveness. The protective feature of the cameras was cited as the primary benefit of the technology, while privacy intrusion and discretion were identified as key drawbacks. Noteworthy nuances were observed across these perceptual domains.

The study focuses on a single police agency, limiting its generalizability. Nevertheless, it holds value for departments experiencing BWC policy compliance issues and those preparing to implement the cameras.

Insights into officers’ technological frames help identify perspectives that threaten desired use of BWCs and highlight necessary training and policy interventions that align officers' BWC readings with departmental goals to enhance policy compliance.

This study is among the few that employ TFR theory to examine officer perceptions of BWCs in a large urban police agency.

This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults’ perceptions of and experiences with the Toronto Police Service to inform the development of a training curriculum for police officers working with older persons.

A qualitative descriptive study using virtual focus groups with 26 older adults from Toronto was conducted.

Three main themes emerged: understanding intersectionality; the impact of police officer attitudes and biases; and the need for age-friendly policing. Although many older adults rely on police services to keep them safe, there is dissatisfaction with some aspects of how police interact with older adults, particularly from minority groups.

Participants were older adults from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are not usually included in studies on improving police services.

Several studies have been conducted to understand why the conviction rate for rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) remains so low. Increasing pressure and criticism have led to questioning why improvements in RASSO investigations are proving ineffective. The purpose of this study was to capture police officers’ perspective of police specialism while investigating RASSO.

A total of 82 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data collection spanned across two years, from October 2021 until May 2023, and included police officers from four police forces in England and Wales. Template analysis was used to identify recurrent patterns around police specialism for RASSO.

Most officers viewed specialism as a tool to improve how police forces prevent and tackle RASSO. In spite of this, the lack of prioritisation of specialist training, roles and units specifically for this crime type has hindered the development of evidence-based practice in policing. The impact on well-being, resources, organisational support and role identity has been explored.

This is the first qualitative study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to look at officers’ insights on police specialism for RASSO in England and Wales. Officers discussed day-to-day challenges associated with conducting RASSO investigations while reflecting on potential advantages related to dedicated specialist units and/or specialist roles.

The current study sought to better understand the factors that contribute to whether officers value procedurally just interaction techniques and contribute to the limited research examining how the effects of warrior and guardian mentalities may vary based on individual officer characteristics.

Survey data collected from patrol officers in two geographically different and ethnically diverse United States police departments allowed for an examination of the generality of warrior and guardian orientations on perceptions of procedural justice across gender, race and/or ethnicity, military service, education, and experience.

There was a largely invariant effect of the mentalities on officer attitudes toward procedural justice, except for officers of color. In this sample, the guardian effect on prioritizing procedural justice was stronger for officers of color than for White officers.

This study sheds light on our theoretical understanding of the warrior/guardian framework and offers practical implications for police leaders and policymakers in their effort to improve police-community relations.

Public police professionals must deal with complex and disruptive social, political and organizational environments. This fact highlights the key role that leadership can play in effectively managing their work, while also ensuring their well-being. The aim of this research is to analyze the influence of laissez-faire versus authentic leadership on the work engagement of police professionals, considering the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of resilience and self-efficacy.

Structural equation modeling and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used in a sample of 184 public police professionals.

The results show that emotional exhaustion partially mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and work engagement, and fully mediates the relationship between laissez-faire leadership and work engagement. Moreover, resilience moderates the relationships between authentic leadership, emotional exhaustion and work engagement; and self-efficacy moderates the relationships between laissez-faire leadership and emotional exhaustion and between laissez-faire leadership and work engagement.

This study highlights that constructive leadership is an important driver of positive experiences at work; it is necessary to change from passive to constructive leadership; and it is important for the combination of psychological resources and positive leadership to improve police professionals’ well-being.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 impacts and auxiliary police officers’ mental health as well as the moderating role of supervisor procedural justice.

Based on the role theory and a police officer survey from China, this quantitative study investigates the relationship between COVID-19 impacts and mental health status among auxiliary police, a rarely examined police type. We also examine the moderating role of supervisor procedural justice.

Auxiliary police officers reported both negative and positive impacts from COVID-19, while the negative impacts were mainly in the work domain, but the positive impacts were primarily in the life area. OLS regression results indicate that negative impacts, especially work-related negative impacts, are significantly related to depression and anxiety, and supervisor procedural justice moderates the relationship between positive impacts and depression and anxiety.

Firstly, we adopted the role theory to examine how public health emergencies affect police officers in their work and life domains. Secondly, we advance the organizational justice literature by assessing whether supervisor procedural justice can moderate the relationship between COVID-19 impacts and their mental health. Thirdly, this research extends the literature on depression and anxiety of auxiliary police officers in China, who attracted less attention in current literature and policies.

The purpose of this research is to empirically test the role of psychological contract breach in explaining the relationship between leadership style and procedural justice, burnout and psychological distress. This study provides important insights for police agencies who seek to positively impact, through the actions of their leaders, on both performance and psychological health of their officers. Drawing from the study findings, key recommendations for police leadership development programs are made.

The current study with a large sample of Australian police (N = 1763), explores the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) leadership style and two sets of outcomes. The first is procedural justice, an important job performance outcome related to police practice. The second outcome includes two measures of psychological health, specifically burnout and psychological distress. Psychological contract breach (PCB) is investigated in the current research as a potential mediator in the relationship between leadership and (a) job performance and (b) psychological health.

Using mediated regression analyses, high LMX leadership is associated with greater PCB, higher procedural justice and reduced psychological health impairment amongst staff. The relationship between LMX and procedural justice was fully mediated by PCB, meaning that PCB explains the relationship between LMX and procedural justice. Partial mediation was found for both psychological health outcomes. As such, leadership style has a direct relationship with psychological health, and is partly explained by PCB.

Very little research has considered the role of PCB in explaining how leadership style is related to job performance and psychological health outcomes in policing. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has empirically examined whether leadership style makes it more likely that a police officer will perceive PCB. And further, whether this breach is associated with reduced job performance (i.e. less procedural justice) and poorer psychological health (i.e. increased burnout and psychological distress).

This present study sheds light on how these issues affect police officers’ personal and professional lives. This research looks at how family support (FS) and workplace pressures affect police effectiveness.

The analysis of the measurement and structural model was conducted using AMOS version 26. To ensure the accuracy of the results, a two-stage analysis methodology (Anderson and Gerbing, 1988) was used. The first stage involved testing the measurement model using various validity indicators such as confirmatory factor analysis, comparative fit index, goodness of fit index and Tucker–Lewis index to evaluate the incremental compatibility of the model. Root-mean-square approximation error and CMIN/DF were also used to further assess the model’s validity. In the second stage of the analysis, the structural model was estimated using structural equation modeling technique (Hair et al., 1998). The data obtained from the measurement model was then used to determine the fit indices. Because the values were consistent with the criterion values, the model was deemed to be a good fit.

The study conducted sheds light on the crucial role that work stressors (WS) and FS play in determining job satisfaction (JS) among nongazetted officers (NGOs) and other ranks (ORs) police officials in the state of Punjab, India. The findings suggest that there exists a complex interdependence between WS and FS, and their correlation with regards to work, family and children’s evaluations. The first hypothesis (H1, Table 4) was found to be true (0.440, p = 0.001), indicating that more than 44 % of the job performance of police officials in Punjab is affected by stressors related to work. The study also identified eight WS that have a significant impact on the performance of police officials on the job. On the other hand, FS was found to have no influence on the job performance of police officials in Punjab, and hence, the second hypothesis was rejected. Further analysis showed that FS was more prevalent among NGOs as compared to ORs police personnel, but it did not directly influence their job performance. The benefits of FS may be moderated by the nature of the job; hence, FS may be more critical in stressful jobs such as police work than in less stressful jobs. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing work and family demands and highlights the need for family-friendly policies to achieve this balance. Future research should focus on the types of policies that should be offered to lessen stress and conflict and examine the benefits of merely offering programs versus requiring or encouraging their usage. The findings of this study could be useful for policymakers and organizations in designing policies that promote employee well-being and JS while balancing work and family demands.

As with any research endeavor, it is essential to interpret the findings of this study while considering its limitations. First, the study relied on a convenience sample drawn solely from one nation, namely, India, which may restrict the generalizability of the results to other countries or cultural contexts. Furthermore, it is important to note that this study exclusively explored the causal relationship between monetary compensation, intrinsic motivation and employee performance, without delving into the nuances of various forms or qualities of FS (e.g. emotional support, instrumental support, perceived vs actual support) and their impact on job performance among police officers. Additionally, the research did not investigate whether the influence of FS on job performance varies based on the specific WS encountered by police officers. These limitations highlight potential avenues for future research to explore in greater depth.

To enhance the well-being and JS of police officers and their families, a comprehensive set of tailored interventions and support programs can be implemented. Recognizing the unique stressors faced by officers and introducing critical incident debriefing sessions and counseling services to provide a confidential space for emotional processing. Offering flexible scheduling, exploring remote work options and developing workshops and resource programs to address the needs of officers’ families, including stress management and communication skills. Strengthening parental leave policies, incorporating extended paid leave and clear communication, to alleviate stress during significant family events. Establishing peer support networks within police departments to provide officers with a valuable avenue for sharing experiences and coping strategies. Collectively, these interventions aim to create a supportive and family-friendly environment within the police force, ultimately fostering improved work-family balance and enhanced well-being for police personnel. To enhance the well-being and JS of police officers and their families, a comprehensive set of tailored interventions and support programs can be implemented. Recognizing the unique stressors faced by officers, critical incident debriefing sessions and counseling services should be introduced to provide a confidential space for emotional processing. Given the demanding nature of police work, exploring flexible schedules and remote work options can assist officers in achieving a better work-life balance, particularly when dealing with family-related challenges. Workshops and resource programs specifically addressing the needs of officers’ families, including stress management and communication skills, can be developed to strengthen family connections. Strengthening parental leave policies, incorporating extended paid leave and clear communication, can alleviate stress during significant family events. Establishing peer support networks within police departments provides officers with a valuable avenue for sharing experiences and coping strategies. Regular mental health check-ins and screenings, as well as financial education workshops, acknowledge and address the unique challenges faced by officers and their families. Community engagement and recognition initiatives, along with specialized training on work-family balance, can foster positive morale. Finally, the establishment of a crisis intervention and FS hotline serves as a vital lifeline during critical situations, ensuring immediate assistance and resources for officers and their families in times of need. Collectively, these interventions aim to create a supportive and family-friendly environment within the police force.

The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of occupational demands and familial support on the overall happiness levels of police officers stationed in Punjab, India. The research underscores the crucial importance of implementing family-friendly policies aimed at achieving a harmonious equilibrium between professional responsibilities and family life commitments. The findings unveil a multifaceted interconnection between occupational stress, familial support systems and individual assessments concerning career fulfillment, domestic life and parental responsibilities. Moreover, the study sheds light on various family-friendly initiatives, such as empowerment strategies and recognition programs, that have the potential to augment JS among police personnel. Furthermore, it suggests that future investigations delve deeper into the efficacy of implementing voluntary programs rather than mandating or promoting their usage in mitigating stress and resolving familial conflicts. The study establishes a clear correlation between JS, overall well-being and the interplay between occupational demands and familial encouragement. Policymakers and corporate entities are urged to take cognizance of these factors while formulating strategies aimed at enhancing the health and contentment levels of employees in the workplace. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of cultural factors, emphasizing the need to consider them in future research endeavors and policy formulations. Cultural factors such as societal norms, values and expectations can influence the way that police personnel perceive and use FS, as well as the impact that FS has on their job performance. By conducting cross-cultural studies, researchers can gain insights into how the relationship between FS and job performance may vary across different cultural contexts. This can help to identify universal factors as well as culturally specific influences on the interplay between FS and job performance among police personnel. Furthermore, investigating the impact of FS on job performance in diverse cultural contexts can contribute to the development of culturally sensitive support programs and policies for police officers. Understanding how cultural factors shape the experiences of police personnel and their families can inform the design of interventions that are tailored to the specific needs and challenges present in different cultural settings. In summary, expanding the research scope to include diverse cultural contexts can enhance the generalizability of the findings and contribute to the development of culturally sensitive support programs and policies for police officers.

The content of this paper is entirely original and has not been derived from any other published or unpublished documents. It has been created solely for the purpose of providing new and unique information for the readers.