Explaining officer compliance: The importance of procedural justice and trust inside a police organization

Abstract

The extent to which police officers obey instructions and policies is of permanent concern to police leaders and the community. This is especially the case when it comes to preventing police misconduct, such as the use of excessive force. In the current study we examined officer compliance from a procedural justice and social exchange perspective. Using data collected among 536 police officers of the Metropolitana Police in Buenos Aires, we explored to what extent internal procedural justice and trust are related to: (1) officer compliance with supervisors and policies; and (2) officer endorsement of regulations on the use of force. The results indicate that perceptions of fair treatment by supervisors and trust in supervisors are positively associated with (stated) compliance. Our findings suggest that a procedural justice approach may facilitate the implementation of police policies and contribute to preventing police violence.

Uma análise dos antecedentes da confiança no líder numa unidade policial de operações especiais

“…That is, according to these field observations, now confirmed here, it is not the individual attitudes, abilities and qualities of the leaders that define the reduction of power distance, but they weigh the processes and routines of management that grant autonomy to the performer. This result corroborates the study of Haas (2015), investigating a context of the same nature (Metropolitan Police of Buenos Aires), confirming that trust in superiors is positively related to the professional aspects of the relationship with subordinates that establish equality between individuals, for example, in the application and acceptance of rules of conduct.…”

The influence of the elements of procedural justice and speed camera enforcement on young novice driver self-reported speeding

“…As indicated earlier, procedural justice has been investigated in a range of criminal justice contexts such as policing (e.g. Bradford et al, 2014;Gau & Brunson, 2010;Haas, Van Craen, Skogan, & Fleitas, 2015), courts (e.g. Knox Mahoney, 2013) and prisons (e.g.…”

Can You Build a Better Cop?

“…In nearly all of these assessments, researchers have found that higher levels of perceived police quality or legitimacy are associated with higher rates of citizen compliance, cooperation, and law abidingness; that feelings about procedural justice are strongly associated with attitudes toward officers; and that citizens' personal experiences of police processes are highly correlated with their general assessments of the fairness and effectiveness of the police force (Engel, 2005;Nix, Wolfe, Rojek, and Kaminski, 2015;Reisig, Bratton, and Gertz, 2007;Sunshine and Tyler, 2003;Tyler, 1990Tyler, , 2001Tyler, , 2003Tyler and Fagan, 2008;Tyler and Huo, 2002;Tyler and Wakslak, 2004). In part as a result of this general consensus, the major accrediting body, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, explicitly incorporates procedural justice training as part of its protocol for newly hired officer candidates (Alpert, Dunham, and MacDonald, 2004;Haas, Van Craen, Skogan, and Fleitas, 2015).…”