NCJ Number
172655
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (1996) Pages: 1-16
Date Published
1996
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study empirically assessed how common experiences of frustration, strain, and commitment to community policing were between police officers in England and the United States.
Abstract
Considerable research on police agencies has speculated about the impact of police and public agency induced frustration and strain on police behavior, and recent studies have looked at the impact of police patterned frustration and strain, as well as commitment to community policing, on police officer attitudes and behavior. While the link between police environments riddled with high frustration and strain on attitudes and behavior of American police officers are now being clarified, very little is known about police frustration, strain, and commitment to community policing outside the United States. In comparing English and American police officers, the current study involved the Fort Worth, Texas, Police Department and the Northumbria, England, Police Department. Questions were asked on various aspects of frustration, strain, and commitment to community policing. Study findings revealed a high level of frustration and strain among police officers and important levels of commitment to community policing in both countries. Police patrol officers in both countries, however, were less committed to community policing than their administrative supervisors. Implications of the findings for community policing practice are discussed. 42 references and 6 tables