NCJ Number
115923
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1988) Pages: 95-104
Date Published
1988
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Attitudes toward the consolidation of the Bloomington and Normal Police departments (Ill.) and the relationship of attitudes to the perceived impact on police professionalism and personal benefits (i.e., those employment conditions granted for the good of the officer on an individual basis) were investigated in questionnaire data for all 102 members of the 2 departments.
Abstract
While 67.7 percent of officers supported police consolidation, only 49 percent supported consolidation of the Bloomington (B) and Normal (N) departments. Support for consolidation generally was higher for B officers, while their support for B/N consolidation specifically was lower. Conversely, while N officers were less supportive of general consolidation; they were more supportive of specific B/N consolidation. This difference in attitudes among the two groups may be explained in differences between the two departments and the differing effects of B/N consolidation on personal benefits. B officers perceived a threat to their pensions, future raises, choice of days off, and shift assignments. N officers perceived consolidation as threatening only their City preference, and viewed it as benefiting them in terms of promotion and specialized assignments. Officers from both departments felt consolidation would have a positive impact on police professionalism, although B officers expressed more positive attitudes than N officers. 5 tables and 6 references.