Police integrity in China

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the contours of police integrity among Chinese police officers. Specifically, this study explores how Chinese police evaluate integrity based on official policy governing interactions, discipline governing infractions, views of seriousness, and willingness to inform when others engage in misconduct. Design/methodology/approach In total, 353 police officers were surveyed representing those attending in-service training program at a Chinese police university in May 2015. Questionnaires containing 11 scenarios describing police misbehaviors were distributed to officers during classes. Findings There was a strong correlation between officers’ perceptions of rule-violation, misconduct seriousness, discipline, and willingness to report. Additionally, preliminary results suggest there exists a code of silence among Chinese officers, and that Chinese officers hold a lenient attitude toward the use of excessive force. Research limitations/implications This study utilizes a convenient sample, which restricts the generalizability of the results. Practical implications The results indicate the existence of code of silence among Chinese officers and their lenient attitude toward the use of excessive force. Originality/value Although there has been a growing body of research examining police integrity in both western democracies and transitional societies, China as the largest developing nation in the world and with a unique police system (falls somewhere between the centralized model and the integrated model) is understudied. This study addresses this gap in previous literature by exploring the contours of police integrity among Chinese police officers.

The Quagmire that is an Unwillingness to Report: Situating the Code of Silence Within the Chinese Police Context

“…It was also reported that in the single year of 2017, the public security police agencies nationwide investigated 10,390 cases of police misconduct involving the violation of law or administrative disciplines (Dai, 2018). Explanations for this vary, with some scholars (e.g., G. Wu et al, 2018) suggesting some portion of this increase is a greater willingness to use the system, suggesting that police misconduct may not have necessarily increased.…”

“…Many of these studies used the integrity scale (involving 11 scenarios) developed by Klockars et al (2000). As scholars have noted, while previous research has documented some common patterns regarding police integrity across nations, for instance, the existence of the code of silence among officers in both developed and developing nations, studies also suggest that police officers from different countries vary in their perceptions of police integrity scenarios (G. Wu et al, 2018).…”

“…Wu et al, 2018). Most notably, there are distinct patterns concerning excessive force, with research suggesting that officers from transitional or developing countries, such as South Korea and China, viewed excessive force as less serious than their counterparts in Western developed countries (Ivković & Kang, 2012; G. Wu et al, 2018).…”

“…Wu, Makin, Li, Boateng, & Abess, 2018). In fact, as G. Wu and colleagues (2018) suggest, it appears that like its Western counterparts, police officers in China show similar tendencies to the “blue wall of silence.” However, as the authors discuss, why this wall exists, in part, is a combination of organizational culture and national culture inhibiting reporting.…”

“…In response to this state of concern, in recent years the Chinese government has made efforts to tighten its control of the police force, as reflected by the enactment of the Police Law of 1995, which legislatively introduced policy to improve police accountability through the creation of a citizen complaint process and requirements to investigate allegations of police misconduct. However, the extent to which these efforts have improved policing still is unclear, as concerns remain over what appears to be an unwillingness to report other officers (G. Wu, Makin, Li, Boateng, & Abess, 2018).…”