Leaving Police Work: A Comparative Study

• In Event: Comparative Perspectives on Police Work

Abstract

There is a considerable literature on recruitment and socialization into the police profession, but little exists on retirement. The majority of the literature on retirement focuses on the general financial aspects of leaving the work force. Only a few explore the social and psychological aspects of retirement. Even fewer seek to understand the social and psychological factors that affect retirees from the police occupation. None are comparative where samples of police organizations from nations across the globe are compared. The present study explores what factors affect a retirees’ transition from a highly active and adventurous work life to that of retirement. The study compares three groups of officers and retirees. The first group are current officers who are within 3 to 5 years from retirement. The second retired in 2015. The third group left police work between 3 to five years ago. This study sampled police organizations in five nations: US, Thailand, India, The Netherlands and Jamaica.

The findings reveal many similarities in the transition process and also differences that can be linked to the retirees’ self-identity, support from family and colleagues, the extent of they are socially immersed into police work and the national/regional culture in which they live.

Authors

• Richard R Bennett, American University

• Sandra Baxter, American University

• Katie Mitchell, American University

• Natalie Chwalisz, American University