A Thinning Blue Line: The Changing Landscape of Policing in Vancouver

• In Event: Issues Facing Police Officers and the Changing Nature of Policing

Abstract

Responsible for enforcing laws, preventing and investigating crimes, and building and maintaining positive relationships with community members, policing is a complex occupation. Only able to understand policing from the outside via information presented in media sources, and/or some personal interactions with law enforcement agents, it is difficult to truly appreciate the intricacies of a police officer’s job. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a police officer. Using survey responses from 460 Vancouver Police officers, this study was able to uncover some of the important issues facing Vancouver police officers today, including changes in their relationship with the public. The discussion will focus on the major themes that emerged from the officers’ comments, and what this information suggests about the future of policing.

Authors

• Stephanie Dawson, Simon Fraser University

• Garth Davies, Simon Fraser University