Exploring the Relation between Police Integrity and Community Policing in South Africa

• In Event: Exploring Police Integrity

Abstract

A sample of 871 South African police officer participated in a police integrity survey and evaluated seriousness of police misconduct, assessed appropriate and expected discipline, and expressed their willingness to report such behavior. In addition, the respondents provided their attitudes toward community policing. Our multivariate models of police misconduct seriousness show that police officers' experience in community policing and attitudes supportive of community policing are rarely related to their level of police integrity. On the other hand, recognizing a behavior as rule-violating, assuming that other police officers would report the behavior, and expecting dismissal for the behavior increased the odds that the respondents would view the behavior as serious.

Authors

• Adri Sauerman, Michigan State University

• Sanja Kutnjak Ivkovich, Michigan State University