The Effect of the “Quality” of Police Interaction on Satisfaction and Trust in Police

• In Event: Cultivating Satisfaction, Trust and Confidence in Police

Abstract

A wealth of literature has examined police satisfaction. Much of it finds that racial minority groups, especially African American respondents, are significantly less likely to report satisfaction with the police than White respondents. Social scientists have proffered numerous explanations for this persistent trend, which include differences in personal experience, perceived quality of life, and even neighborhood context. Analyzing recently collected data from 1,405 Milwaukee residents, we examine the role of personal experience with police and neighborhood context measures on respondents’ satisfaction with and trust in the police. Advancing this line of inquiry, however, we also examine the salience of the “quality” of police-citizen interactions in determining levels of police satisfaction and trust. Findings, policy implications, and directions for future research are presented.

Authors

• Darren Wheelock, Marquette University

• Meghan Stroshine, Marquette University

• Michael O'Hear, Marquette University Law School