Do Looks Really Matter?: An Experimental Assessment of the Consequences of Militarized Appearance for Perceptions of Police

• In Event: Perceptions of Justice and Law

Abstract

Recent research demonstrates that officer attire influences public perceptions of police. In the wake of the civil unrest seen in Ferguson and elsewhere, specific attention has been paid to the “militarized appearance” of police. Critics have argued that a militarized appearance damages the relationship between the police and the public, though scant research exists on this topic. Using a national sample of American adults, and a visual experiment containing photographic images of officers in both tactical and traditional patrol uniforms the current study empirically evaluates these claims. Implications for both research and policy will be presented.

Authors

• Megan M. Parry, University of Rhode Island

• Richard Moule, University of South Florida

• Bryanna Hahn Fox, University of South Florida