ROLE OF THE POLICE - NORMATIVE ROLE EXPECTATIONS IN A METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

• NCJ Number: 25600
• Author(s): N W O'NEILL
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 233 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY.

Annotation

RESULTS OF AN EXAMINATION OF THE ORIGINS OF POLICE ROLE EXPECTATIONS, BASED ON DATA OBTAINED FROM A ROLE EXPECTATION QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TO 187 OFFICERS FROM THE OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT FACTORS WHICH ENCOMPASS BASIC BELIEFS AND CONCEPTIONS ABOUT POLICE WORK MAY FORM THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE OFFICER'S DISCRETIONARY ACTIONS AND DECISIONS. IN THIS STUDY, THE AUTHOR FIRST EXAMINES DISCRETION IN ITS OPERATIONAL SETTING, DISCUSSES FACTORS WHICH MAY INFLUENCE DISCRETION, AND PRESENTS A TYPOLOGY OF POLICE ROLES. POLICEMEN'S ROLE EXPECTATIONS ARE SHOWN AS VARIATIONS ON FOUR IDEAL TYPES - THE SOCIAL AGENT, THE WATCHMAN, THE LAW ENFORCER, AND THE CRIME FIGHTER. AN INSTRUMENT IS THEN DEVELOPED TO DETERMINE THE TYPOLOGICAL POSITIONS OF INDIVIDUAL POLICEMEN. THIS INSTRUMENT WAS ADMINISTERED TO 187 OFFICERS TO EXAMINE POSSIBLE DETERMINANTS OF OFFICERS' TYPOLOGICAL POSITIONS. SCORES FROM THE INSTRUMENT ARE COMPARED WITH INDICES OF PERSONAL STATUS AND EXPERIENCE, AND STATISTICAL TESTS ARE PRESENTED WHICH ELIMINATE UNLIKELY VARIABLES. IT WAS FOUND THAT FORMATION OF POLICE ROLE EXPECTATIONS APPEARS TO BE AFUNCTION OF COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION AMONG PEER GROUPS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)