Summary
"With the support of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Police Foundation undertook to conduct a representative national survey that would uncover the attitudes of American police about sensitive questions of police abuse of authority. How do contemporary police view abuses of police authority? Do police see them as an inevitable by-product of increased efforts to control crime and disorder? What forms do they take? How common do police believe them to be? What strategies and tactics do police view as most effective in preventing police abuses of authority? Given the importance of the movement toward community-oriented policing, we sought to define whether community-oriented policing is seen to encourage or constrain the boundaries of acceptable use of police authority."--Page 13.
Contents
Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Methodology -- 3. Characteristics of the sample -- 4. Main survey results -- 4.1. Abuse of authority and the use of force -- 4.2. Code of silence -- 4.3. Social factors -- 4.4. Departmental response -- 4.5. Controlling abuse -- 4.6. Community-oriented policing -- 4.7. Subgroup analysis -- 4.7.1. Race -- 4.7.2. Rank: Supervisors and nonsupervisors -- 4.7.3. Region -- 4.7.4. Agency size -- 4.7.5. Gender -- 5. Conclusion -- Endnotes -- References -- Authors -- Appendix A. Survey instrument with responses -- Appendix B. Report on focus group of police scholars and executives -- Appendix C. Report on focus group of rank-and-file police officers -- Appendix D. Report on focus group of police supervisors.