Police Legitimacy: Experiences and Perspectives

• In Event: Self-legitimacy in Criminal Justice: A Comparative Approach

Abstract

The aim of police legitimacy theory is to foster cooperation between police and the communities that they serve by building trusting relationships. This qualitative study is designed to examine in a holistic manner how social relationships influence police self-legitimacy. Self-legitimacy is the belief on the part of those in positions of authority that their power and views are justified. This study relies on the self-reported perspectives and experiences of police as the primary data. Specifically, sheriff’s deputies in Palm Beach County, Florida, detail their lived experiences and perspectives on self-legitimacy. The study identifies and defines the social experiences that officers associate with cultivating self-legitimacy. Key future research implications of this research include media influence on officers’ decisions to use force and the influence of their morals and values on public expectations regarding behavior and cooperation with the police.

Author

• Mathew Lankenau, Fielding Graduate University