The Effect of Paramilitary Protest Policing on Protestors' Trust in the Police: The Case of the “Occupy Israel” Movement

Abstract

The use of paramilitary methods in civil policing tasks has become common in Western police agencies. Despite propositions that such methods should undermine the relationship between the police and the public, the effect of paramilitary policing on public trust in the police has not been empirically tested. In the present study, we examine this question in the context of protest policing, which has become a major concern for Western police agencies. Using a survey of 470 protesters who participated in “Occupy” protest events in Israel in 2012, we find that the perceived use of paramilitary methods has an independent and negative effect on trust, stronger than that of police effectiveness and the “neutrality” component of procedural justice. In‐depth interviews suggest that the significance of paramilitarism may be the result of a sense of alienation and criminalization it elicits among protesters who generally perceive themselves as law‐abiding citizens.

Expectations, Effectiveness, Trust, and Cooperation: Public Attitudes towards the Israel Police during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Most statements were designed based on previous surveys carried out both in Israel and elsewhere. 1 Questions concerning expectations from the police during the COVID-19 pandemic were adopted from previous studies on policing emergencies ( Jonathan and Weisburd, 2010 ; Perry et al , 2017 ). They inquired about what the IP should be doing during this period (item 1); the way emergency regulations should be enforced (items 2 and 3); and the possible costs that policing the crisis may entail (items 7 and 10).…”

“…Statements capturing the perceived effectiveness of the IP inquired about police success in handling crime and disorder (items 4 and 5; adopted from Jonathan-Zamir and Weisburd, 2013 ), and in addressing pandemic-related duties (item 6). Trust in the police was measured using concepts such as ‘dishonesty’ and ‘integrity’ (items 8–11; adopted from Jonathan-Zamir and Weisburd, 2013 ; Perry et al , 2017 ). Cooperation with the police was measured using willingness to report various types of crime and suspicious activities (items 12–16; see Jonathan-Zamir and Weisburd, 2013 ).…”

“…While evaluations of both effectiveness and fairness were found to impact trust, studies often find procedural justice to be the primary predictor (e.g. Sunshine and Tyler, 2003 ; Tyler and Fagan, 2008 ; Gau, 2011 ; Perry et al , 2017 ).…”

“…Paramilitary appearance and conduct are attractive to police because they are perceived to be effective, but also because the image they project appeals to officers ( Kraska, 2007 ). However, paramilitary policing may make officers appear (and indeed behave) in a less accessible and service-oriented manner, thus undermining police–community relations ( Perry et al ., 2017 ). For example, Spalek (2010) argues that in the UK, paramilitary police response to terrorism after 9/11 undermined trust in the police, which led to public demand to rehabilitate police–community relations.…”

“… 1 Israeli studies, such as Jonathan-Zamir and Weisburd (2013) and Perry et al . (2017) , often rely on questionnaires designed and validated in English-speaking countries, while making minimal necessary adaptations (e.g.…”