Public assessments of police during the COVID-19 pandemic: the effects of procedural justice and personal protective equipment

Abstract

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for contemporary police. The present research examines public assessments of police responsibility and performance during the pandemic using a procedural justice paradigm.Design/methodology/approachParticipants (N = 104) rated images of a police officer, including when using different items of personal protective equipment (PPE), along the core dimensions of procedural justice. Participants then completed survey questions about their assessments of the police’s responsibility and performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsFindings from our regression analyses indicate that participants’ perceptions of procedural justice are positively related to their assessments of police responsibility and performance. Our findings also indicate that participants’ perceptions of procedural justice can be affected by the police’s use of different items of PPE, including face masks, face shields, goggles and medical gloves.Originality/valueThe present research uses procedural justice, a well-trodden paradigm from past empirical works, to examine perceptions of police amidst a time of much societal change. The findings present important practical implications for police who must continue to manage public perceptions while providing service during the pandemic.

The role of bounded-authority concerns in shaping citizens' duty to obey authorities during COVID-19

“…In the COVID-19 context, research has also found that perceptions of the procedurally just nature of authorities' treatment toward community members can improve public willingness to comply with authorities' directives (see, e.g. McCarthy et al, 2021;Nix et al, 2021;Sandrin and Simpson, 2021).…”

Empowering the police during COVID-19: How do normative and instrumental factors impact public willingness to support expanded police powers?

“…They found that perceptions of procedural justice could be positively improved through observing officers' use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as face masks/shields during the COVID-19 pandemic. By using PPE with the public during the pandemic, Sandrin and Simpson (2021) suggest that police officers might be able to demonstrate that they share citizens' values, that they have trustworthy motives, and that they respect individual citizens' health. Beyond the pandemic context, Mazerolle et al (2012) demonstrate that simple changes to the "script" for police communications with the public can increase public perceptions of procedural justice.…”

Guest editorial: On the other side of normal: policing in a pandemic editorial introduction

“…Sandrin and Simpson (2021) used survey data from MTurk ( n = 104) to assess how the public responds to police using various forms of PPE (e.g. face masks, face shields, goggles and medical gloves) and, in turn, the impact on perceptions of procedural justice, police responsibility and police performance during the pandemic.…”

“…In this way, positive encounters with police that are focused on the tenets of procedural justice can mean that police presence "reinforces community norms rather than creates fear." Sandrin and Simpson (2021) used survey data from MTurk (n 5 104) to assess how the public responds to police using various forms of PPE (e.g. face masks, face shields, goggles and medical gloves) and, in turn, the impact on perceptions of procedural justice, police responsibility and police performance during the pandemic.…”