Police perceptions of computer crimes in two southeastern cities: an examination from the viewpoint of patrol officers

Citation

(2013), "Police perceptions of computer crimes in two southeastern cities: an examination from the viewpoint of patrol officers", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 36 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/pijpsm.2013.18136aaa.004

Police perceptions of computer crimes in two southeastern cities: an examination from the viewpoint of patrol officers

Police perceptions of computer crimes in two southeastern cities: an examination from the viewpoint of patrol officers

Article Type: Perspectives on policing From: Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Volume 36, Issue 1.

Thomas J. Holt and Adam M. BosslerAmerican Journal of Criminal Justice2012Vol. 37No. 3pp. 396-412

Technology has provided society with a unique opportunity to engage in business and communication. However, the world wide web has also introduced a new type of criminal, with access to fast-paced forms of internet-based crime opportunities. Although research on police officer knowledge of computer crime and their perceptions have been addressed, studies of patrol officer perceptions have lagged behind. Literature points to the fact that computer crimes have substantial impacts on both individuals and businesses. Few empirical studies examine law enforcement responses to cyber-crimes and even fewer examine patrol officer's perceptions. Holt and Bossler (2012) provide insight into this literature gap in web-based police officer perceptions by assessing components unique to computer crimes.

Using survey data from patrol officers in the Charlotte-Macklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD), the authors examined perceptions of computer crimes in 268 frontline officer surveys. The analyses used to assess the seriousness and frequency of traditional and cyber crimes included basic tests of significance (χ², t-tests, correlations, etc.). Results from the study indicate that in general, patrol officers are aware of computer crimes and value web-based investigations based on “perceived” offense seriousness. More specifically, online and “traditional” theft were viewed similarly with regards to the amount taken, yet harassment favored “real-world” circumstances as more serious than “online.” Also, rates of perceived seriousness across crimes closely paralleled previous literature on crime severity. Lastly, with regards to frequency of offenses, patrol officers viewed street crimes as occurring more often than computer crimes.

Over the last two decades, access to computers has drastically increased the range of criminal opportunity. Gaps in previous literature surrounding first responder training of patrol officers has set the stage for the current study. As a whole, results indicated that patrol officers were aware of online crimes and cognizant of their serious nature. Yet, findings indicate that rates of computer training across patrol officers were strong indicators of online crime knowledge. Holt and Bossler (2012) suggest that increased online crime training is necessary to better combat cyber crime identification and prosecution. Limitations of the study include the lack of generalizability due to the geographic region of the samples and low response rates. Future research should focus on more diverse samples, and specific responses for law enforcement to cyber crime.