Variations in Citizen Attitudes Towards Police

• In Event: Balancing Cost and Quality of Police Service: A Multi-Site Assessment of Police Consolidation

Abstract

An increasing number of jurisdictions have transitioned from a 'traditional' policing model to some other policing model. Some models include consolidating services by combining agencies or units, contracting for services from other agencies, or providing services at a regional level. Despite this growth, there has been little empirical research of these police agencies. This study begins to fill this gap by examining citizen attitudes towards the police in jurisdictions policed by nontraditional models. We conducted citizen surveys in communities that are policed by either a consolidated agency, a contracted agency, or a regional agency. In this paper, we focus on two issues. First, we examine whether the variables that are commonly linked to police satisfaction hold for agencies in these different communities. Second, we examine whether citizens from one community have more favorable attitudes compared to the other communities in the study. Implications for the study of attitudes towards the police and police practice will be discussed.

Authors

• Steven M. Chermak, Michigan State University

• Jeremy Wilson, Michigan State University