The onset of police misconduct
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors which contribute to, or mitigate against, both the likelihood and timing of the onset of police misconduct.
Design/methodology/approach
Research hypotheses were tested examining the first personnel complaint filed against officers, using both all complaints and only substantiated complaints, from data collected on a large cohort of officers followed over a substantial portion of their careers.
Findings
Black officers and those exhibiting poor academy performance were at an increased likelihood of onset when compared to white and Hispanic officers and those who did better in the academy, while having a college degree lowered this likelihood. Officers whose first complaints were filed by citizens, and officers working certain patrol zones had quicker onset times. Those officers whose first complaint was related to service, as well as officers with prior military service, had longer onset times.
Research limitations/implications
This study relies on personnel complaints to measure onset, was conducted in a very large police department, and does not include arrest data on officers over time.
Practical implications
Onset occurs early in officers’ careers. Some factors are consistent across complaint types, while others depend on whether all complaints or only substantiated complaints are used to measure onset, which suggests that future research should consider carefully which measure they employ.
Originality/value
This study employs a longitudinal data set which follows a cohort of officers from the start of their careers, and is thus ideal for exploring the onset of misconduct.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is based on data collected for the Analysis of Police Behavior Indicators Project, directed by Robert E. Worden. The author gratefully acknowledges the other members of the project team: Mary Anne Pratte; Shelagh Dorn; and Shelley S. Hyland.
Citation
Harris, C. (2014), "The onset of police misconduct", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 285-304. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-01-2012-0043
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited