NCJ Number
81651
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (1982) Pages: 45-55
Date Published
1982
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study focuses on identifying the relationship between the citizen's attitude toward the police and the police uniform and authoritarian attitude.
Abstract
The perceived authority associated with the police uniform has been an essential ingredient of the police role. Consequently, the police uniform influences attitudes and behaviors of the wearers as well as the citizens with whom they interact. The citizen's attitude is negatively affected by the traditional military style police uniform in conjunction with the authoritarian attitude exhibited by police officers in performance of their duties. Consequently, when the uniform and officer's attitude are altered, there will be a corresponding change in the citizen's attitude toward the police. The attitude of the officer, in conjunction with the uniform, exerts considerably more influence on the citizen's attitude than does the uniform, officer's attitude, or any additional factor acting independently. (Author abstract)