Public Perceptions of the Police During COVID-19: A Cross-National Analysis

Abstract

Using cross-national data collected during the pandemic, this study examines factors influencing public willingness to obey and cooperate with police during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data for the study were garnered using web-based surveys, which yielded about 500 participants from the U.S., India, Brazil, Kenya, and several European countries. OLS results revealed that police legitimacy remains a crucial predictor of public willingness to obey and cooperate with the police. However, fears experienced during the pandemic failed to directly predict public's obligation to obey the police and their willingness to cooperate with the police. Interestingly, fear had an indirect effect on the relationship between police legitimacy and the obligation to obey and cooperate with the police. Conceptualizations of police legitimacy should continue to be tested, alternative versions of surveying without the limitations of COVID-19 should be undertaken, and attempts to understand more local environments should be made.

Emergency policing and public trust in the police in Ghana: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Therefore, emergencies provide the police with public acceptance, solidarity and compliance, which can enhance the performance of their duties. These collectively improve trust in the police and, subsequently, police legitimacy (see Bottoms and Tankebe, 2012, 2017; Chenane et al ., 2023).…”

“…Specifically, both variables were measured as a single-items. Researchers like Cao (2015) and Chenane et al (2023) suggest that scholars should consider a multi-item measure of trust and police enforcement of COVID-19 health measures. A multiitem measure improves our understanding and augments existing research.…”

“…A long generation of studies have examined police trust and legitimacy from different perspectives (see Chenane et al ., 2023; Kearns et al ., 2020). Yet, debates and controversies exist about both concepts, their measurement and their association (Chenane et al ., 2023). For instance, some scholars use the term interchangeably, while others view it as conceptually related but distinct (Kearns et al ., 2020).…”

“…Recent studies in criminal justice are adopting a more political science perspective on legitimacy (see Jackson et al ., 2014; Kearns et al ., 2020). For instance, Jackson and colleagues measured legitimacy using a tripartite conceptualization: the degree to which the police act in accordance with the law, a shared sense of right and wrong with the police and consent to submit to the authority of the power (Hough et al ., 2013; Chenane et al ., 2023).…”

“…Theoretical framework and literature review Police legitimacy and trust A long generation of studies have examined police trust and legitimacy from different perspectives (see Chenane et al, 2023;Kearns et al, 2020). Yet, debates and controversies exist about both concepts, their measurement and their association (Chenane et al, 2023). For instance, some scholars use the term interchangeably, while others view it as conceptually related but distinct (Kearns et al, 2020).…”