Police Culture

"The knowledge, attitudes, expectations, behaviors, and rituals that exist among police, or which more broadly, characterize the police force. Police culture affects how police see themselves and their role as police, how they see the world around them, and how they police. Differences exist within and between police cultures. Police officers, as individuals, will not all equally adopt or adhere to the dominant police culture. Police culture cannot be divorced from the social, political, economic, legal, and organizational context of policing. Police cultures can change.

Characteristics

Sense of Mission, the thin blue line, a crucial, dangerous but thankless job, not just a job, but a way of life. Policing is thought of as protecting the weak from the strong (not at all political, relating to power within society). 'Us versus them' mentality is evident. Law enforcers and law abiders versus lawbreakers.

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• Action-oriented: 'Real Policing'.

Emphasis on 'real policing as that which occurs in the public sphere and which involves dangerous or potentially dangerous situations and confrontations (i.e., responding to reports of crime, raids, shootouts, car pursuits, and so on). The greatest status is attached to Homicide Squads and Tactical Response Units.

Cynicism and Pragmatism. Required to obey the law, yet see the law as limiting and naive. Must go beyond the law to do their job and get results. Favor expedience over due process. These characteristics of police culture have been related to various negative behaviors: Unlawful detention, the improper use of force, breaches of proper interview processes, corruption, dismissal of some crimes/victims, and commission of some offenses.

• Isolation and Solidarity.

Feel different from other people based on work and work-related experiences. Sense of isolation intensified by problems socializing with non-police due to others' reactions, difficulties turning off, and shift work. Closest bonds forged with other police. Very loyal to and protective of other officers. Masculinist. The dominance of masculinist perspectives and practices. Reiner has described police culture as an 'old-fashioned world of machismo'. 'Real policing' is associated with confrontation, physical strength, and danger. Male-dominated composition of police forces has contributed to this.

• Racism.

Widely documented evidence of suspicion, hostility, and prejudice in police dealings with racial and ethnic minorities. Evidenced in well-known instances (i.e., Rodney King) through to everyday policing practices. Once again, partly attributable to the historical composition of police forces. Also relates to their role in acting on behalf of states to administer racially-based laws and policies (segregation, removal of indigenous children).

• Conservatism.

Social and politically conservative. Emphasis upon maintaining the status quo. Once again, partly a consequence of the historical composition and role of the police.

Approaches to policing and the community:

1. Traditional Policing (as developed with the rise of modern police forces).
2. Community Policing (developed over the past 30 years, largely in response to concerns raised over the methods and outcomes of traditional policing).

Traditional Policing.

Police are seen as separate from the community. The role of the police is to respond to crime. Police effectiveness is measured by changes in crime rates and arrest rates. Concerned primarily with the policing of the public sphere, rather than the private sphere. The use of force is viewed as legitimate and necessary for the preservation of order. Militarization of police over the past 40 years with the rise of law and order.

Community Policing.

The development of community policing was based upon the recognition that a lack of familiarity and respect between police and specific communities sometimes resulted in negative and repressive policing practices being used and the fostering of mutual suspicion and antagonism between police and communities. Young people, gays, and lesbians, indigenous people, and ethnic and racial minorities are recognized as particularly affected.

What is Community Policing?

There is no universally accepted definition of community policing. As an approach to policing, it can best be described as consisting of a broad range of strategies designed to improve policing by connecting police more closely to local communities and supporting relationships. This includes programs such as:

• Neighborhood Watch
• Crime Stoppers
• Blue-light Discos
• School Education Programs
• Development of specific community policing units
• The appointment of Liaison Officers (such as YLOs / MLOs) and committees involving police and community members
• Formalized relationships with other community agencies (for example, sexual assault and domestic violence services, ambulance services, and welfare services).

Other strategies employed in community policing include:

• Reform of procedures for dealing with some types of offenses - SOCIT (Sexual Offenses and Child Abuse Investigation Teams)
• Increased police presence, visibility, and availability (for example, police on bicycles, shop fronts)
• Use of media to involve the public in policing and crime prevention
• Police organizing and hosting activities and programs - particularly for young people (such as the Ropes Program)
• Police learning and demonstrating the 'art of negotiation' with difficult groups
• Police taking a more gentle/balanced approach to police

Community Policing Compared to the traditional approach to policing, community policing aims to be more proactive and preemptive. It is more concerned with peacekeeping and conflict resolution than crime fighting. It is based on the complexities of the local context and on building relationships. It envisions police as part of the community and as needing to be responsive and answerable to it.

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