Police Recruit Experiences and Attitudes: The Making of a Police Officer

• In Event: Recruiting the Next Generation of Police

Abstract

Recent high-profile incidents of police violence have significantly impacted perceptions of the police and conceptualizations of their role and responsibilities in society. Some research has suggested that this has contributed to the manpower crisis faced by many American police departments as agencies struggle to hire and retain enough officers. This research explores two questions. First, how do police recruits conceptualize and describe roles and expectations of the police function, and second, how does academy instruction shape these views? These questions are explored using interviews with two classes of police recruits in the St. Louis County Police Academy. Each recruit is interviewed once at the start and once at the end of the academy to assess their attitudes on the function and roles of the police and their expectations for what police work will entail. Findings suggest that recruits differ greatly in their concepts of the police function and the challenges of policework, as well as their interpretations of social discourse involving the police. Findings also suggest that academy instruction reinforces the idea of police officers as public servants equipped to handle any problem that members of the community may face, although individuals interpret this message differently.

Author

• Robert David Boxerman, University of Missouri - St. Louis