Police Officers’ Attitudes toward the Public: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

• In Event: Comparative Perspectives on Police-Community Relations

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to comparatively explore police officers’ attitudes toward citizens across two nations. Using cross-sectional data collected from Ghana and China, this paper examines officers’ perceptions of citizens on four attitudinal dimensions - cooperation, compliance, recognition, and disrespect. Additionally, the paper explores the extent to which officers’ perceptions influence their effectiveness and behavior. Results revealed significant perceptual variations across the two countries. For instance, while Ghanaian officers were found to possess more favorable perceptions of citizens’ cooperation and recognition, Chinese officers reported greater levels of citizens’ compliance and dis-respectfulness. Moreover, results indicated significant relationships between officers’ attitudes and their sense of effectiveness and behavior in the two countries. Findings offer insights for police administrators to reform the police with a focus on strengthening citizen-police relationships.

Authors

• Guangzhen Wu, Washington State University

• Francis Danso Boateng, University of Mississippi