Publication
Title
Perspectives on the police profession : an international investigation
Author
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to clarify the diversity of professional perspectives on police culture in an international context. Design/methodology/approach In a first step the authors developed a standardized instrument of 45 occupational features for comparative analysis of police professional views. This set was inductively created from 3,441 descriptors of the police profession from a highly diverse sample of 166 police officers across eight European countries. Using this standardized instrument, Q-methodological interviews with another 100 police officers in six European countries were conducted. Findings The authors identified five perspectives on the police profession suggesting disparities in officers outlooks and understanding of their occupation. Yet, the findings also outline considerable overlaps in specific features considered important or unimportant across perspectives. Research limitations/implications The study emphasizes that police culture needs to be described beyond the logic of distinct dimensions in well-established typologies. Considering specific features of the police profession determines which aspects police officers agree on across organizational and national contexts and which aspects are unique. Practical implications The feature-based approach provides concrete pointers for the planning and implementation of (inter)national and inter-organizational collaborations as well as organizational change. Originality/value This study suggests an alternative approach to investigate police culture. It further offers a new perspective on police culture that transcends context-specific boundaries.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Policing : an international journal of police strategies & management. - Bradford, 1997, currens
Publication
Bradford : 2014
ISSN
1363-951X
DOI
10.1108/PIJPSM-11-2013-0112
Volume/pages
37 :4 (2014) , p. 728-745
ISI
000346110500004
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Comparative police studies in the EU (COMPOSITE).
Publication type
Subject
Law 
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 13.11.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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