De-policing as a result of public scrutiny: examining officers’ perceptions of negative media attention and willingness to engage in self-initiated activity

ABSTRACT

With police facing constant negative publicity, concerns have been raised that officers working the street will draw back on their efforts. Prior research relying on official data has not found increases in crime as a result of this so-called Ferguson or de-policing effect. In the present study, it is argued that officers’ own reported willingness to initiate proactive enforcement activities should be added to this body of research. If there is a Ferguson effect, it most likely exists in the realm of high-discretion, low-visibility decision making. Data are from surveys administered in-person to officers in a large, urban department. Results show that officers who perceive higher levels of negative publicity feel that police are less likely to self-initiate stops. Those who feared being filmed unfairly also reported reluctance among their colleagues. Perceptions of being supported by top management appeared to be a protective factor, with those experiencing strong support from managers reporting less concern about self-initiated enforcement. Findings support the existence of a de-policing or Ferguson effect insofar as intense scrutiny from the public and media appear to discourage some officers from initiating proactive stops. This indicates that when de-policing occurs, it is likely concentrated among high-discretion, low-visibility decisions.

KEYWORDS:

• De-policing
• ferguson effect
• public opinion
• police discretion
• proactive policing
• police culture

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Jacinta M. Gau

Jacinta M. Gau is a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on police-community relations, racial issues in policing, police occupational attitudes, and policy. She is the author of ‘Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice’ (SAGE Publishing) and ‘Criminal Justice Policy: Origins and Effectiveness’ (Oxford University Press).

Eugene A. Paoline

Eugene A. Paoline III is a professor and graduate director in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. He holds a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research interests include police culture, police use of force, and occupational attitudes of criminal justice practitioners. He is the author of Rethinking Police Culture (2001, LFB Scholarly Publishing) and Police Culture: Adapting to the Strains of the Job (2014, Carolina Academic Press).

Nicholas D. Paul

Nicholas D. Paul is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida. His research interests focus on police strategy and innovation, police attitudes, and the war on drugs. He has several years of military and civilian law enforcement experience where he served in various units to include the Problem-Oriented Policing Squad, Gang Enforcement Unit, and Special Weapons and Tactics Team.