Lecture 3- Police Culture and Change Flashcards
What are the key readings?
Loftus, Campeau, Demirkol
What are the key points from Loftus?
Traditional= white heterosexual males
The ‘recasting of the public as ‘customers’’ causes a change in public perceptions of the police
The changes in the demographic of the police has causes changes in the culture
Officers have ‘socially isolating lives and display defensive solidarity with colleagues’
Cynicism centred around ‘law and criminal justice system’ such as the reinstating of the death penalty
A resenting of the public due to them being ‘unappreciative’ and ‘rebuked them for being excessively demanding’
‘detached and unsympathetic manner when interacting’ with the public
The traditional police ‘crime fighters’ and ‘investigators’
What are the key points from Campeau?
Reiner’s characteristics: ‘Conservative, mission-oriented, isolated, masculine, pessimistic and suspicious’
The us vs them mentality
‘individual officer typologies (e.g. enforcers, optimist and dirty-harrys)’
The police culture: ‘series of police values or attitudes acquired through on-the-job socialisation’
Wilson, 1969, speaks of the ‘constant pressure to be productive in what are often uncertain circumstances’
Manning (1995) says that ‘police culture is hierarchically specific’
‘defend and assist colleagues when confronted by external threats’ (Goldsmith, 1990)
What are the key points from Demirkol?
Cultures in the police is in 2 categories street cop and management cop culture, cited by Reuss-Ianni, 1983
Occupational culture= routines and practices
Police officers are monolithic due to the same environment where there is an anticipation of danger, isolation, cynicism and authoritarian personalities
Components of the police, cynicism, solidarity, loyalty, occupational identity, autonomy and authoritarianism
Solidarity due to protection, cited by Shernock, 2007
What is culture
Shared customs, beliefs, assumptions and values; common way of seeing the world
What is organisational culture?
A ‘deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation, that operate unconsciously and define in a basic and take for granted fashion as organisation’s view of itself and its environment’
What are the characteristics of organisational culture?
Shared purpose
Shared habits
History of shared experiences
Persuasive expectations
Unique language
Shared ethics
Traditions
What does police culture effect?
If they ignore behaviour, issue a warning or make an arrest
Interaction with different individuals and groups they encounter
Responses to aggressive suspects
Whether their notes, arrests and testimony will reflect reality
If they police with equality and fairness
What are the shared characteristics of the Met police?
Professionalism, integrity, courage, compassion
What was said about police culture by Westmarland, 2008?
Real culture is evidenced in the way an organisation operates
Public statements are only partially accurate and have misleading descriptions
What does Bowling, Reiner and Sheptycki say about police culture?
The characteristics are mission–action–cynicism–pessimism; suspicion; isolation–solidarity; pragmatism; racial prejudice; machismo
What does Jerone Skolnick say about police culture?
The personality of the police is linked to social + political context= exposure to danger, problems of authority, need for efficiency.
What is the key discovery from ethnographic fieldwork for police culture?
Extent of discretion amoung officers reuse of powers
Who looked at the two culture of policing?
Elizabeth Reuss-Ianni
What are the two cultures of policing?
Street cops and management cops
What is street cop culture?
Focus on action orientations, danger and excitement of crime fighting
What is management cop culture?
Organised, strategic, good communicators, loss of trust for street officers
What are the differences in police culture?
Urban & rural; uniform & detective; officers, middle-management, command; differences based on sex
What are the cultural barriers to change for the police?
Risk aversion & blame culture; hierarchy & rank structure; no support for innovation; little long-term planning
What is the number of female officers in England and Wales (2010)?
25.7%
What is the number of female officers in England and Wales (2022)?
34.7%
What is the increase in ethnic minorities in the police from 2010-2013?
3.7%
What did Skolnick say about racism in police culture?
Ethnic minority citizens are among the symbolic assailants identified by police
What did Bowling, Reiner & Sheptycki say about racism in police culture?
Ethnic minorities who “disproportionately become police ‘property’”
What led to the build-up to the Brixton Riots (environmental)?
Brixton being low in socio-economy, high unemployment and high crime with gang related activity
What led to the build-up to the Brixton Riots (social)?
History of poor relationships between the police and black people. High use of the stop and searches
What happened after the Brixton Riots?
The Scarman Report where it showed how there was racial tension, poor community relations and discrimination against Black people
What are the key points of the Scarman Report?
The police not being institutionally racist
Policies of the Met police is not racism
Lack of deliberate bias and prejudice
Racial prejudice can manifest in the behaviour of officers
Lack of bias not found among senior police officers
What are the key points from the Macpherson report?
Identified multiple police failures
Said the Scarman recommendations have been ignored
There is racial stereotyping which disadvantages ethnic minorities
How many officers in the Met are ethnic minorities in 2020?
8.4%
How many officers in E&W are ethnic minorities in 2020?
17.3%
What are the key points from Burke (British Police Officers talk about their lives on the job as lesbians, gay and bisexuals)?
Gay communities are subject to police harassment + discrimination
There is hostility towards gay male officers
Officers that don’t conform to the traditional culture of the police must negotiate status, lead dual lives and disguise sexual orientation
What has helped with sexuality and diversity in the police?
The Macpherson report and the sexual offences act 2003
How is LGBT recruitment targeted in police reform?
Targetted marketing, local staff networks, legal protections, diversity training, replacing traditional subculture
What does Peter Neyroud say in the review of police leadership and training?
Male culture is a barrier to change
The dominant culture must change so that women and BME officers will prosper in the workplace
Who argues for change in the police culture?
Caveney et al
What are the main points from Caveney et al?
Argues for context specific understanding
Must be structural changes such as expectations around diversity, mechanisms for accountability
There must be changes in culture such as the positive use of autonomy and discretion and the public service role is important for motivation
Who speaks about proper and improper victims?
Caveney et al
What does Caveney et al say about victims?
Ideal victims are elderly and children but frustrating victims are repeat victims
What does Caveney et al say about why victims are proper or improper?
It is due to the public servant orientations and the desire to resolve situations effectively
What does the Casey review say about police culture?
Too much hubris
Little humility
Defensiveness and denial
Optimism bias
Speaking up is not welcome
Elitism
