Purpose Strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future intimate partner femicide. As first responders who may be the only point of contact for a survivor, it is imperative that police officers are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of strangulation, particularly because few survivors show visible injuries and many do not seek healthcare. The current study assessed strangulation knowledge among police officers in British Columbia, Canada. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from two samples of frontline police officers with and without strangulation training. Findings Police officers in both samples rated strangulation as a high-risk factor for revictimization. The samples differed significantly in their understanding of the importance of a medical-forensic examination for various signs and symptoms of strangulation. Practical implications The results indicate that police officers understand the high risk posed by a victim-survivor’s strangulation, although training is needed to enhance their responses to the signs and symptoms of strangulation. The results highlight the importance of providing frontline police officers with training on IPV strangulation and including IPV strangulation in the risk assessment tools used by police. Originality/value Limited research has examined police officers’ knowledge of and responses to strangulation or the effects of strangulation training.
Purpose This study examines how organizational characteristics and community contexts jointly shape police officer victimization, extending research that has focused mainly on individual encounters. Guided by routine activity theory (RAT) and social disorganization theory (SDT), it considers both institutional capacity and broader environmental conditions. Design/methodology/approach Data from 205 Texas municipal police departments are analyzed by integrating LEMAS (2016 and 2020), NIBRS (2023) and ACS (2020) indicators. Zero inflated negative binomial models with multiple imputations address excess zeros and missing data. Findings Larger agencies and those operating in high risk enforcement environments experience higher levels of officer victimization. Greater patrol car camera coverage and indicators of organizational adjustment correspond with reduced victimization. Community factors, particularly racial and ethnic diversity and concentrated poverty, are positively associated with officer victimization. Originality/value By integrating organizational and community determinants within one framework, the study demonstrates that officer victimization reflects situational exposure, institutional capacity and broader social environments.
Purpose Police chiefs and sheriffs have the crucial responsibility of entering their agencies into collaborations with service providers in their community, such as domestic and sexual violence agencies (DSVAs). This study examines how these leaders perceive and make decisions regarding collaborations. Design/methodology/approach We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 police chiefs and sheriffs in a Southern state and employed thematic analysis. Findings Four key findings demonstrated that law enforcement (LE) leaders balanced their sense of responsibility to victims of domestic and sexual violence with concern for the experiences of frontline officers when responding to domestic and sexual violence incidents. Leaders expressed a desire to know what happens to victims after LE responds in a crisis and described role conflicts between LE and DVSAs. Practical implications Police chiefs and sheriffs should ensure they are modeling the attitudes toward and cultures around domestic violence they want their officers to employ. Victim service providers should provide feedback loops to LE leaders to enhance their commitment and investment in partnerships. Originality/value This study contributes to a limited, but growing body of research examining collaborations between LE and domestic violence service providers from the perspective of police chiefs and sheriffs as the primary decisions-makers for community-level relationships.
Purpose - This study investigates how transformational leadership influences psychological empowerment among police officers, emphasizing the mediating role of organizational culture. Focusing on the Punjab Police, Pakistan, it seeks to illuminate how leadership dynamics and cultural mechanisms shape empowerment within hierarchical policing institutions. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 412 officers, with 386 valid responses analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the measurement model, and bootstrapping procedures tested the mediation effects. Findings - The SEM results indicate that transformational leadership has a significant positive effect on psychological empowerment (beta = 0.493, p < 0.001). Organizational culture also exerts a significant influence on psychological empowerment (beta = 0.561, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and empowerment (indirect effect = 0.231, 95% CI [0.171, 0.302]). Practical implications - The results highlight the importance of integrating transformational leadership training with organizational culture development initiatives. Leadership programs focusing on trust, collaboration, and innovation can enhance officers' intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction, ultimately improving institutional performance and public trust in policing. Originality/value - By empirically testing the mediating role of organizational culture in a South Asian policing context, this study contributes to leadership and empowerment theory. It demonstrates that even within rigid and hierarchical systems, transformational leadership supported by a constructive culture can significantly foster psychological empowerment among police personnel.
Purpose This study explores how police vehicle design influences public perceptions of enforcement capability and driver behaviour. It addresses a gap in the literature on how specific visual elements shape perceived certainty of apprehension, certainty of punishment and the duration of deterrent effects. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 Queensland-licensed drivers aged 18 years and older. Participants commented on the design elements that were most salient to them when it came to police vehicles. Participants also evaluated various police vehicle designs through open-ended questions and image-based rating tasks. A thematic analysis identified themes in perceptions around police vehicle designs and reported behavioural responses. Findings Participants consistently distinguished vehicles by visual cues, particularly the markings and bright colour of the vehicle impacted perceived deterrent effects. Traffic enforcement-focused vehicles, such as Highway Patrol cars and motorcycles, were seen as more deterrent than general duties (GD) vehicles, producing stronger immediate behaviour change and longer-lasting “halo effects”. Vehicle type, base vehicle colour, markings and visible equipment were described differently relative to perceptions of enforcement capability, the perceived role of that vehicle and associated behavioural responses. Practical implications The findings suggest that strategic police vehicle design serves as a force multiplier, enabling agencies to maximise deterrent impact with limited resources. Highly visible, purpose-designed traffic enforcement vehicles may yield greater road safety outcomes than deploying generic police vehicles. Originality/value This research provides a detailed examination of drivers' perception of police vehicle designs and the way in which such designs are associated with deterrence perceptions, offering evidence for consideration during vehicle procurement and deployment strategies to enhance road safety outcomes.
Purpose This study examines how organisational learning influences operational effectiveness, intelligence capability and crime reduction outcomes within a police intelligence organisation operating under a strict hierarchy, high operational risk and complex crime reduction demands.Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through conducting 30 semi-structured interviews with police intelligence personnel. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted.Findings The results reveal that fragmented and informal learning cultures impede organisational learning, weak knowledge management systems, inconsistent access to training, and cultural resistance that discourages reflection, error disclosure, and knowledge sharing. The authors identify a "learning-control paradox" whereby accountability structures intended to ensure control simultaneously inhibit adaptive learning, weaken intelligence processes and undermine operational effectiveness. To address these tensions, the authors developed a Strategic Organisational Learning Implementation Framework to embed learning processes across the intelligence cycle.Research limitations/implications Based on a single police intelligence case, the qualitative findings limit generalisation but offer transferable insights into organisational learning, accountability tensions and implementation challenges in comparable hierarchical intelligence settings.Practical implications The study provides actionable guidance for intelligence leaders by showing how organisational learning can be embedded through routine practices, aligned governance and middle-management leadership without weakening hierarchical accountability.Originality/value This study provides an empirically grounded analysis of organisational learning in a police intelligence environment, offering a theoretically informed and practically applicable framework tailored to hierarchical, high-risk intelligence contexts.
PurposeThis study evaluates the impact of a comprehensive, school-based "Social-Based Policing" program on high school students' attitudes toward security forces in a security-sensitive region (Sirnak, T & uuml;rkiye). It specifically investigates the moderating roles of gender, vicarious family experience and grade level through the interdisciplinary lens of social work and religious education.Design/methodology/approachA quasi-experimental design was employed using a pretest-posttest model with 310 high school students who participated in a multi-modal intervention comprising 19 distinct social and educational activities. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA, MANOVA and Multiple Linear Regression to control for pre-existing attitudes and assess the specific contribution of socio-demographic variables.FindingsThe regression model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in posttest attitudes (R2 = 0.719). While the intervention significantly improved students' "Police Image" and "Emotional Affinity," it was less effective in altering "Professional Attitudes." Female students demonstrated significantly more positive changes. Crucially, a significant negative relationship was found between grade level and attitude, indicating that older adolescents are more resistant to intervention. Furthermore, students with prior negative family experiences with the police exhibited persistent institutional distrust.Research limitations/implicationsThe study utilizes a single-group design without a control group, which limits the ability to fully rule out external variables. Additionally, the sample is restricted to a specific geographical context, and the measure of "family police contact" did not distinguish between the nature of the interaction (e.g. victim vs. suspect).Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that school-based security interventions are most effective when targeted at early adolescence (9th and 10th grades). Programs should integrate soft-skill activities (arts, drama) alongside security education and require the active involvement of school social workers to mitigate the effects of vicarious negative family experiences. To surmount the barrier of intergenerational distrust, security policies must be integrated with the restorative mechanisms of school social work and the value-based grounding of religious education.Social implicationsThe study demonstrates that reframing the police role from a strict law enforcer to a social stakeholder can help de-stigmatize authority in post-conflict regions. It highlights the necessity of an interdisciplinary collaboration between law enforcement, religious educators and social services to foster social cohesion.Originality/valueUnlike studies relying on simple comparisons, this research employs robust regression models to examine youth-police interaction in a non-Western context and from a school social work and values education perspective. It offers unique empirical evidence regarding the age-cynicism effect and the intergenerational transmission of institutional distrust.
Purpose Police agencies face two related crises: police-community relations and staffing. While previous research has focused on how agencies may implement community-oriented policing through officers to improve police-community relations, it has not discussed how staffing tactics may help community-oriented policing. This research reviews both how staffing tactics can signal community-oriented policing to the community and how practitioners perceive the impact of these tactics on staffing levels, community-oriented policing, and other related dimensions. Design/methodology/approach This work draws on a broader research project that assessed perceptions of practitioners regarding 237 tactics for recruitment and selection of police officers. We identified the tactics from reviews of scholarly and gray literature as well as from news reports. We asked practitioners to assess these tactics for their likely impact on staffing levels, community-oriented policing, and several other dimensions. We also assessed the ability of each tactic to signal the agency’s practice of community-oriented policing to the community. Findings Tactics that were perceived to be highly effective for community policing were also likely to signal the practice of community policing to the community. Tactics that perform well for both advancing community policing and increasing staffing levels were often effective on other dimensions such as workload management, immediacy of effect, ease of implementation, and quality of policing. Originality/value Our work extends research on community-oriented policing into staffing, applies signaling theory to police recruitment and staffing practices, and notes tradeoffs in tailoring community-oriented policing and staffing solutions to individual agency needs.
Purpose The purpose of our study is to explore how police respond to reported cases of police sexual violence (PSV). Design/methodology/approach This study uses annual police oversight agency reports and newspaper accounts to explore police responses to police sexual violence in South Africa. Findings We find that about 100–130 police officers are reported for rape by their respective police agencies to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) every year. The analyses of the disciplinary pipeline reveal that a small proportion of police officers reported for rape – fewer than one-tenth – were convicted in internal disciplinary procedures, and even fewer – only about one in twenty – were eventually unconditionally dismissed by their police agencies. Research limitations/implications Based on the analyses of rape-by-police cases provided by the police to a police oversight agency, our study excludes cases in which the victims either did not report or were unsuccessful in reporting their PSV to the police. Practical implications The results of our study demonstrate that an oversight police agency, dependent upon the police to report cases of rape-by-police, is limited in its independence. Furthermore, our study shows that because the IPID only recommends discipline to the police, the likelihood of discipline being meted out for rape-by-police cases is low. Originality/value Previous literature on police sexual violence has barely touched upon police responses to police sexual violence. Our study examines the disciplinary pipeline and the attrition in it. In addition, extant literature on PSV primarily originates in Western democracies. We focus on South Africa, not only a country from the rarely studied Global South, but also a country in which some cultural norms are tolerant of gender-based violence.
PurposeThis study aims to examine how trust in the police shapes reporting decisions for theft and robbery and whether this relationship varies by offense type, race and crime characteristics in a Global South context.Design/methodology/approachUsing nationally representative survey data on victims of theft and robbery in Brazil, crime reporting is conceptualized as a post-victimization decision under uncertainty. Separate probit models are estimated for theft (N = 3,417) and robbery (N = 677). Results are presented as average marginal effects, controlling for prior victimization, socioeconomic characteristics and crime attributes, including incidents involving vehicles, documents or mobile phones.FindingsTrust in the police is positively associated with reporting for both types of offenses, but the magnitude differs substantially. The association is considerably stronger for robbery than for theft and is amplified in incidents involving higher material or administrative stakes. Non-white victims are consistently less likely to report, even after accounting for trust and socioeconomic differences, suggesting that racial disparities in engagement with the criminal justice system extend beyond attitudinal factors.Originality/valueBy distinguishing between theft and robbery and incorporating crime-specific attributes, the study refines existing debates on trust and reporting behavior. Focusing on Brazil contributes evidence from the Global South to a literature largely centered on the Global North and highlights how institutional trust, structural inequality and instrumental incentives jointly shape crime reporting.
Purpose To examine the role of police as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system through their use of diversionary mechanisms in response to sexual offending. Design/methodology/approach The study involves statistical analyses of existing police administrative data (from 2012–21) obtained from one Australian jurisdiction, Queensland. Findings Young people were more likely to receive a diversionary response than adults (i.e. more than 99%), with diversionary actions increasing slightly over time, and most being police cautions (i.e. 84.9%). Compared to young males, young females were more likely to receive a diversionary response, which was more likely to be a caution than a conference referral. This pattern was consistent over time; young people from First Nations backgrounds were less likely to receive a diversionary response than non-Indigenous young people, but if they received one, they were more likely to be referred to a restorative justice conference than non-Indigenous young people. This was also a consistent pattern over time. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the need for further research into the factors shaping police use of diversion in sexual offence cases, to better understand in what circumstances it is being used, and where it could be leveraged further, as appropriate. Originality/value This study offers a novel exploration of police actions in response to sexual offending, focusing on the mechanism of police diversion. It delineates the use of diversionary options over time, across offence types, and by gender, age and cultural heritage, providing fresh insights into the use of diversion in policing practice for sexual offence cases.
PurposeThe effectiveness of intelligence-led policing (ILP) as a counterterrorism model in Bangladesh, a nation that has faced repeated extremist threats since the 1990s, including the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack, is examined in this article. The study aims to evaluate the potential, difficulties and extent of ILP as a proactive and preventive policing approach to combat violent extremism and terrorism.Design/methodology/approachThe study's methodology is qualitative, incorporating a critical case-centric analysis and 25 key informant interviews with officials from the Bangladesh Police and specialized counterterrorism units. Secondary literature and policy reviews are also included. The primary subjects of analysis are institutional frameworks, decision-making procedures and operational procedures related to the gathering, processing and sharing of intelligence.FindingsResults show that although Bangladesh has made extensive use of human intelligence (HUMINT) within its decentralized police structure, there are still deficiencies in inter-agency coordination, technological capabilities, human resources and legal readiness. The systematic adoption of ILP is hindered by colonial-era regulations and ad hoc practices, despite recent operational successes. The study offers a 10-point list of practical suggestions for integrating ILP into counterterrorism policing, including community involvement, interagency cooperation, capacity building and legal reforms.Practical implicationsBy situating ILP in the Global South and drawing on empirical insights from a nation case that has received little attention in intelligence and policing scholarship, this article highlights how ILP can enhance Bangladesh's preventive counterterrorism efforts if structural changes are implemented.Originality/valueThe study's originality lies in linking ILP to Bangladesh's evolving policing and security landscape, thereby offering a framework for both scholars and policy-makers.
PurposeThis article explores the dynamics, challenges, and opportunities in the policing of violence against women (VAW) in rural Nigeria. It critically examines the structural, institutional, and cultural factors that shape policing practices, with particular attention to how gender norms and community attitudes influence police response to VAW.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized a qualitative research methodology, employing semi-structured interviews with 22 police officers from 13 rural communities in Ogun State, Nigeria. Participants were purposively sampled to capture diverse insights based on their rank, experience, and geographical location. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to analyze the data, facilitating a nuanced exploration of how officers perceive their experiences in policing VAW.FindingsPolicing VAW in rural Nigeria is hindered by deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, both within police institutions and rural communities. Officers reported limited knowledge, a lack of gender-sensitive training, and inadequate professional capacity to handle VAW cases effectively. Structural challenges such as poor infrastructure, underfunding and a centralized command system further constrained rural policing. Community attitudes that normalize abuse and discourage formal reporting also undermine police efforts.Research limitations/implicationsAccess to police officers was sometimes restricted due to institutional gatekeeping, and responses may have been influenced by social desirability bias. While the study offers critical insights into policing VAW, it did not set out to engage survivors directly, focusing instead on the perspectives of police officers. Time and resource constraints also limited the possibility of follow-up or longitudinal analysis.Practical implicationsThis study's findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive, community-based interventions that address harmful gender norms and build trust in the formal justice system. Police institutions should also strengthen capacity-building initiatives, increase female representation in rural postings, establish mobile response units and collaborate with local actors to improve community trust and access to justice for survivors.Social implicationsPromoting gender equity within law enforcement, such as increasing the number of female officers, could help build trust and motivate more women to report abuse. Community alert systems should be established to allow community members or vigilante groups to quickly report suspected abuse to the police. Implementing feedback tools like community scorecards or victim satisfaction surveys can assess police responsiveness in handling VAW cases.Originality/valueThis study provides original insights by focusing on the perspectives of police officers working in rural Nigeria, an area often overlooked in research on VAW. It uniquely combines an institutional and cultural analysis to highlight how local gender norms, structural limitations and professional gaps intersect to shape policing practices.
PurposeThe current study utilizes measures drawn from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, along with additional factors included in previous studies, to determine which factors are associated with police officer acceptance of BWC technology. In addition, this study assesses changes in officers' perceptions and acceptance of BWCs after implementation of the technology.Design/methodology/approachThe current study analyzes survey data collected from officers working in a mid-size, local police agency in the upper Midwestern region in the United States.FindingsOfficers' acceptance of BWCs increased after using the equipment for one year. In addition, a significant relationship was found between officers' acceptance of BWC technology and two variables drawn from the UTAUT model: social influence and performance expectancy.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to data from one police agency. Data analyzed in this study are drawn from a racially/ethnically homogeneous police population working in a racial/ethnically homogenous community. In an effort to protect officers' identities, the pre and post surveys were not matched to individual officers. This restricted our ability to assess changes in individual officers' perceptions over time; however, we were able to assess changes in perceptions on an organizational level over time.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study can provide guidance to police agencies that have not yet implemented BWC technology by identifying the significance of social influence by peers both before and after implementation of this technology.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to examine the relationship between officers' acceptance of BWCs and social influence by colleagues.
PurposeA dismissed Victoria Police officer or protective services officer has the option to seek a review by the Police Registration and Services Board. The Board must then review to affirm the decision to dismiss unless it is satisfied that the Victoria Police decision to do so was "harsh, unjust or unreasonable". This research analyses 59 Review Decisions made by the Board between 2014 and 2024.Design/methodology/approachAll Review Decisions are published online unless there are grounds to suppress. This research analyses the Review Decision reports using Sykes and Matza's neutralisation framework to explore police rationalisations of their misconduct during employment review board hearings. While some Review Decisions included verbatim statements made by officers, our content analysis largely relies on documentary analysis of published reports written by board members.FindingsThe analysis reveals that the dismissed police officers and protective services officers, like everyone else, use rationalisations to justify behaviours that contradict their moral standards and the norms they work to protect. Our analysis provides insights for initial and ongoing training in police ethics, as well as behavioural and cultural evaluations and interventions, by examining the rationalisations used in cases of police misconduct.Originality/valueThis research is the first to apply Sykes and Matza's neutralisation framework in exploring police rationalisations of misconduct during employment review board hearings.
PurposeAlthough denial is common in domestic violence (DV) cases, its impact on police decision-making remains underexplored. The study investigates whether officers modify their intended course of action when a suspect denies responsibility and whether denial operates independently of evidentiary factors, particularly the presence or absence of physical violence.Design/methodology/approachA vignette-based survey was administered to police officers in one Australian state. Participants were randomly assigned to scenarios in which the evidentiary context varied, and they rated the likelihood of undertaking various policing actions, as well as the perceived seriousness and risk of the incident. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare responses to closed-ended questions across conditions, establishing a quantitative baseline for assessing whether denial alone altered intended responses. Open-ended responses were analysed thematically to explore whether and how officers reported modifying their course of action in response to perpetrator denial and how they reasoned about such decisions.FindingsDenial alone did not substantially alter officers' reported intended actions. Instead, responses were more strongly shaped by evidentiary considerations, particularly the presence of visible physical harm. These findings highlight the centrality of evidentiary reasoning in DV policing and underscore the importance of examining how denial is understood within evolving policy and legislative contexts.Originality/valueBy combining quantitative and qualitative vignette data, this study provides novel insight into how police discretion and evidentiary reasoning operate in contested DV cases, informing policy, training, and victim-centred policing practice.
PurposeExtremism within law enforcement represents a growing threat to democratic governance, civil rights and the organizational legitimacy, yet systematic empirical research remains limited. This research examines why extremism in law enforcement is difficult to study and proposes strategies for developing credible baseline estimates of its prevalence.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on research from both policing and military institutions across democratic contexts, we identify structural and methodological barriers to studying extremism in decentralized law enforcement systems. We adapt established approaches from military extremism research to propose a multi-method framework that integrates archival analysis, disciplinary records, media investigations and anonymous survey data.FindingsWe argue that decentralization, professional gatekeeping and definitional ambiguity obscure its detection. Reliance on official records alone is insufficient to estimate prevalence. A combined multi-method strategy offers a more robust pathway for identifying patterns of extremist ideology while accounting for institutional barriers to detection.Originality/valueThis article reconceptualizes extremism in policing as an institutional vulnerability rather than isolated misconduct and bridges previous literature on military extremism and policing research. There is a need for credible baseline estimates and we are proposing a concrete research framework. By doing this, we advance both theoretical clarity and practical tools for studying extremism infiltration within democratic security institutions.
Purpose This study examines the creation and development of the police force during the colonial era in Nairobi, Kenya. Using this case, this paper asks: What role did police play in the daily surveillance and control of African movement during the colonial era, and how did that change in response to acts of terrorism during the Mau Mau Uprising? This study expands research on colonial policing, the origins of COIN strategy in urban warfare and the transnational transport of police training and practices.Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from the Kenyan National Archives and the British National Archives, including annual reports from the colonial government, correspondence, military reports and recently declassified materials about the Mau Mau Uprising, known as "The Emergency" in British archival materials.Findings This study finds that the colonial police force was flexible by necessity, establishing a system of passbooks, police posts and surveillance that limited African movement in order to protect European interests. During times of war or incidents of terrorism, the counterinsurgency (COIN) responses were merely amplifications of policing norms that were already established.Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence showing the history of COIN strategy and its origin in colonial policing techniques. Rather than isolating these strategies as unique to the environment, actors or conflicts, this paper argues that standard operating procedures for colonial policing laid the groundwork for COIN responses that continue today.
PurposeStalking is a gendered crime that falls within intimate partner violence (IPV) that remains under-studied regarding police actions to shape survivors' experiences. This present study examines 10 distinct police responses as reported to 12 stalking behaviors among female survivors, including how these actions are associated with stalking frequency and the filing of criminal and stalking charges.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected from the 2016 and 2019 National Crime Victimization Survey Supplemental Victimization Survey (SVS), which included 485 female victims who reported stalking to the police; 452 of these women specified the frequency of the incidents, and 427 reported filing charges. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the 10 police actions' impact on stalking behaviors, as well as their associations with filing criminal and stalking charges. Furthermore, multivariable linear regression was used to examine police actions on stalking frequency incidents.FindingsNotably, 14.6% of female victims reported no police response, and referrals to victim services were rare. Arresting the perpetrator was most strongly associated with filing charges, suggesting the clearest pathway to formal outcomes. Although referrals were uncommon, they were associated with increased incidents and higher odds of filing charges.Practical implicationsInterpreted through institutional betrayal, inaction and inadequate responses may compound harm and erode trust; inconsistent definitions, mistrust, and limited training hinder effective intervention.Originality/valueFindings highlight the importance of consistent, trauma-informed, and mandatory police training on stalking behaviors, risk assessment, and culturally responsive survivor support.
Purpose The deleterious effects of work stress on police officers’ well-being are well documented. Despite this, little work exists that identifies stress mitigators in this population, such as vectors of support. We sought to examine the impact of work stress on officers’ well-being, in terms of burnout and life satisfaction, and whether officers’ ratings of organizational and community support had a moderating effect. Design/methodology/approach In partnership with departmental leadership, a wellness survey link was circulated via email to employees of a medium-sized police department. The survey, which was implemented through Qualtrics, incorporated standardized self-report psychometric measures and was completed by 167 sworn officers. Findings Controlling for gender and experience, multivariate analyses revealed that organizational support was a significant moderator of the work stress–burnout and work stress–life satisfaction relationships. Higher organizational support was associated with a diminished effect of work stress on both well-being criteria. No moderation effect was obtained for community support. Male gender was associated with greater burnout. Originality/value This study is among the first to test whether officers’ appraisals of organizational and community support moderate the work stress–wellness relationship. Results indicate that organizational support may mitigate the deleterious effects of work stress on officer well-being. We interface our findings with previous research, discuss implications for police department leadership and organizational practices and propose avenues for future research.
