Light Blue Versus Dark Blue: Attitudinal Differences in Quality-of-Life Policing

Abstract

Using data from the Project on Policing Neighborhoods, a large-scale study on police officers between 1996 and 1997, this research examined the attitudinal differences between Black and White police officers regarding non–life threatening, quality-of-life issues in their role as police officers. Analysis of the data in this study indicates that there are discernible differences in the attitudes between Black and White police officers regarding quality-of-life issues. Black officers in comparison to Whites in this study would respond more favorably to quality-of-life policing issues, such as neighborhood disputes, family disputes, improving the neighborhood conditions, and fear of crime. Policy implications and future research based on these results are also discussed.

KEYTERMS:

• Race
• community policing
• quality of life