Examining the Link Between “Testosterone-infused” Recruiting and Militarization of Law Enforcement

• In Event: Challenges in Police Management

Abstract

Since the 1990s, the militarization of American law enforcement has been the subject of scrutiny from scholars as well as the public. Journalist Radley Balko (2013) proposed law enforcement recruitment videos that showcase aggressive militaristic themes will attract applicants predisposed to thrill-seeking and aggressiveness. A convenience sample of criminal justice and non-criminal justice majors viewed a selection of recruitment videos, which were chosen for their emphasis on the following themes: those portraying militarization and aggressive police tactics, those portraying community-style policing, and those with neutral content. Participants’ propensity for situation-based aggression was measured using the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (Raine, et al., 2006). Participants were also given the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, which measures the “Big Five” stable personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness (Costa and McCrae, 1992). Using an interdisciplinary mixed-methods approach, this research examines the link between the content of law enforcement recruitment videos and the personality traits of potential applicants. The implications for law enforcement agencies and public safety are discussed.

Authors

• Robert M. Keeton, Lincoln Memorial University

• Christy Miller Cowan, Lincoln Memorial University

• Jennifer Rhiannon Scroggins, Montana State University, Billings