Police Discretion and Boredom

Abstract

Police work is boring, involves a substantial amount of "down time," and can have negative consequences for police officer performance, contributing to occupational stress and turnover. Research argued that workers reduced their boredom by engaging in "none-work" activities. Police officer autonomy, however, provides them the opportunity to reduce their boredom by working in a way that makes their behavior meaningful and interesting. Most policing scholarship has examined officer behavior related to their arrest decisions, use of force, or other interactions with the public. This study used an observational research design in a single police agency to quantitatively examine how an officer's discretionary decision making can reduce the boredom associated with their down time. Findings indicate that police officers often engage in down-time activity that is expected of them, such as patrolling troubled neighborhoods and backing up other officers. It is suggested that their behavior symbolized real police work in a boring environment.

The Editorial Meeting at a Little Magazine: An Ethnography of Group Judgment

“…It produced a shared concept of what constituted bad literature. More immediately, talk about the material being read was the main source of amusement, a way of protecting against boredom or tedium (see Phillips 2015). The use of bad literature as the basis for social interaction in meetings may have unintentionally subverted the fiction staff's stated purpose, while also making the performance of negative judgment a key means of establishing status in the group: the wittiest and most negative participant was the fiction editor, followed closely by a staff member who had a sharp tongue, but whose considered judgments often carried the day in serious deliberations.…”

Shades of blue : an interpretative phenomological analysis of non-white police instructors regarding highly publicized uses of force by law enforcement

“…To accomplish the basic principles of policing, law enforcement agencies need the support and cooperation of the community (Tankebe, 2013). Police officers possess a great deal of autonomy regarding their daily activities (Phillips, 2016b).…”

“…Police officers who are persons of color have unique insight and perspectives into the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color. Because police instructors train other officers, who often function independently, their role in the relationship between the police and the public is critical (Phillips, 2016b).…”

“…These methods have provided significant insight into the dynamics of race relations within the everyday complexities of policing but lack insight into the mindset of the police officers as they navigate in a racially charged national context, particularly regarding the use of force. Because street level police officers have a great deal of discretion (Phillips, 2016b), insight into their mindset can be particularly beneficial. The perspective of police officers of color provides a particularly instructive lens for examining the phenomenon.…”

“…These methods have provided significant insight into the dynamics of race relations within policing but lack insight into the mindset of the police officers as they navigate the everyday complexities of policing and community relations in a racially charged national context, particularly regarding the use of force. Because street-level police instructors have a great deal of discretion(Phillips, 2016b), insight into their mindset can be beneficial; the perspective of police officers of color provides a particularly instructive lens through which to examine the phenomenon.This study used a qualitative methodology, IPA, to examine the perceptions street-level police instructors of color have of high-profile and widely publicized incidents of the use of force by police against persons of color. Creswell (2012b) noted that researchers conducting qualitative research should employ one of the following five research designs: case study, narrative, grounded theory, ethnographic study, or phenomenological.…”