Measuring police officer and citizen satisfaction: comparative analysis

Abstract

Purpose – The ability of the police to decrease victimization rates, protect human rights and social capital, to generate feelings of safety and to respond to citizens’ calls helps generate positive citizen feelings about the legitimacy of police as a law enforcement institution. Police approaches to reduce crime and violence are based mainly on objective measures, neglecting to assess its performance based on subjective perceptions. The conception that the citizens’ fear of being victims is not always reflective of the actual prevalence of crime highlights the importance of social surveys to assess the public’s perception of police performance. It is also important to assess employee satisfaction, since research indicates that the performance of first-line employees is influenced by their satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to provide the first comparative study of both citizen and police officer satisfaction and evaluates their relationship. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a dyadic survey that measures citizens’ evaluation of police service quality as well as policemen’s job satisfaction. The data were analysed using the multicriteria methodology of multicriteria satisfaction analysis. Findings – The results showed that policemen seem to be unsatisfied with their jobs, while citizens are quite satisfied with police performance. Specifically, policemen’s ability to be available for patrol is currently hampered by bureaucracy and other typical obligations. The tangibles criterion, which refers to buildings, offices and surveillance equipment, were characterized as inadequate by both policemen and citizens. It was also observed that police officers are not very satisfied with their amount of work may be the reason why citizens report median satisfaction levels in terms of police responsiveness. Originality/value – This survey adds to management literature on job satisfaction and service quality, providing some additional findings regarding the police population. In addition, it combines related constructs supporting the claim that citizens can be satisfied with police services provided that police officers are satisfied with their jobs.

Smart policing service quality: conceptualisation, development and validation

“…Phase 5: nomological validity Structural equation modelling was performed using AMOS to evaluate the nomological validity of the relationship between smart policing service quality and its theoretical constructs (Li and Shang, 2020). Several studies have identified the relationships among police service quality, satisfaction and attitudes (Bouranta et al, 2015;Chen et al, 2014). It was previously suggested that consistent service and qualities of smart policing can lead to a better quality of life, satisfaction, trust and continued intention to use the services (Chatterjee et al, 2018;El-Haddadeh et al, 2019;Kankanhalli et al, 2019;Nowak, 2019).…”

Measuring Industrial Customer Satisfaction: The Case of the Natural Gas Market in Greece

“…Furthermore, customers have access to an educational level that allows them to judge any product or service they pay for, while they demand the best possible products and services at the lowest price. Consequently, a company that meets or even exceeds a customer's expectations has a significant competitive advantage [26][27][28]. Therefore, it is important for every company to know who its customers are, what they expect and how adequately their expectations are met.…”

Confidence in Law Enforcement When African-Americans are Underrepresented on the Force: An Exploratory Study

“…Race and ethnicity were also found to be strong determinants of (or correlates with) officer-involved shootings (McElvain & Kposowa, 2008). The more interesting analyses (Bouranta, Siskos, & Tsotsolas, 2015;Chapman, 2012;Lasley, Larson, Kelso, & Brown, 2011;Stultz, Parker, & Lane, 2010) broadened the simple race-behaviors studies and strived to find and quantify the relationship between an officer's race/ethnicity, the officer's affinity toward his or her beat (or community), and the officer's propensity to use appropriate force and be well-respected and well-accepted in the served community. The next section addresses the confluence of police agency racial composition and the racial compositions of the communities each agency serves.…”

“…Ho and Cho 2016 ). Yet many commentators now consider "confidence" to be the most telling and accurate yardstick to employ (although confidence is closely allied with trust) (Antrobus, et al, 2015;Bouranta, et al, 2015;Cao, 2011Cao, , 2015Garcia & Cao, 2005;Hinds, 2009;Jefferis, et al, 2011;Lai & Zhao, 2010;Tankebe, 2010Tankebe, , 2013Zhao, et al, 2015). As one example, Cambridge scholar Justice Tankebe measured the impact of police corruption in Ghana on the public's confidence in that nation's law enforcement (Tankebe, 2010).…”