How cops see themselves
| Author | Richard Tewksbury,Allen Copenhaver |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355716669368 |
| Published date | 01 December 2016 |
| Date | 01 December 2016 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
How cops see themselves:
2016, Vol. 18(4) 273–280
ª The Author(s) 2016
Self-regard and physical confidence
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355716669368
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Richard Tewksbury
Lindsey Wilson College, KY, USA
Allen Copenhaver
Lindsey Wilson College, KY, USA
Abstract
This study provides the first assessment of officer self-regard and physical confidence among a sample of state police
officers. Specifically, this study aims to identify health and wellness predictors of officer self-regard and physical confidence.
Data were collected from surveys of all sworn members of one state police agency. State police officer self-regard is
predicted by officers’ work shift, officer exercise, fast food consumption, officer sleep, and officers experiencing
depression. No significant predictors of officer physical confidence were identified. This is the only study of health and
wellness predictors of officer self-regard and physical confidence. Several health and wellness factors are predictive of
officer self-regard, but more research should be conducted to identify health and wellness predictors of officer physical
confidence.
Keywords
Officer self-regard, officer physical confidence, officer health/wellness, officer self-perception, officer stress
Submitted 23 Jun 2016, Revise received 19 Aug 2016, accepted 20 Aug 2016
Introduction
thinking clearly during times of high stress . . . ’ and ego, or
‘Believing one is a good officer and having the self-
There is little research addressing the ways in which law
confidence that enables one to solve difficult crimes’. How-
enforcement officers perceive themselves. Although
ever, police work itself is often punishment-oriented in
widely recognized as authority figures, and as individuals
terms of how law enforcement administration deals with
entrusted with powers of life and death, law enforcement
officer infractions, which requires officers to invest in peer
officers may be thought of as confident, self-assured, and
groups comprised of other officers for emotional comfort;
high self-esteem individuals. However, whether this is in
these peer groups also serve the function of physical pro-
fact true, and what may or may not be related to such
tection for individual officers (Worden, 1989). Therefore,
experiences, have been largely neglected in the scholarly
officers may not hold themselves in high regard to the
literature. Entrance into law enforcement is often thought
extent often thought.
to be achieved by eager recruits who identify with the ethos
Although the literature is replete with studies of how
of police work and are confident in their abilities to con-
communities perceive the police, how police perceive par-
tribute to the good of society (Van Maanen, 1973). More-
ticular groups of others (victims, offenders, minorities, etc.)
over, professionals and academics in the field who write on
and discussions of how perceptions can influence behavior,
the personality characteristics held by ‘good police offi-
cers’ stress the importance of officer self-confidence. For
example, Nowicki (1999) writes that 12 characteristics
Corresponding author:
make up a good police officer, including: courage, or
Allen Copenhaver, Lindsey Wilson College, Kentucky, KY 42728, USA.
‘Being able to meet physical and psychological challenges,
Email: copenhaverr@lindsey.edu
274
International Journal of Police Science & Management 18(4)
there is scant literature addressing self-perceptions among
enforcement officers and did not find an elevated level of
law enforcement personnel. This oversight is significant
narcissism. In addition, a study conducted on three sets of
because it is well known that self-confidence, self-
female Canadian officers (see Tougas et al., 2005) demon-
efficacy and overall positive views of the world/others are
strated that self-esteem is negatively correlated with psycho-
closely connected with both positive views/conceptions of
logical disengagement (or psychologically ‘stepping back’ and
self and job performance (Band and Manuele, 1987; Judge
mentally removing oneself from psychologically distressing
and Bono, 2001; Viswesvaran et al., 2005). A wealth of
situations), which in turn is thought to be caused by relative
research on law enforcement officer health and wellness
deprivation, or feeling deprived in relation to one’s coworkers.
demonstrates that when officers experience mental health
Although much evidence on the relationship between officer
issues they have a difficult time completing the real-world
stress and self-esteem suggests that holding self-esteem repre-
requirements of their occupation. This means that if offi-
sents a healthy coping mechanism for officers needing an
cers are struggling with mental health issues, or a lack of
avenue to deal with the occupational stressors of law enforce-
confidence, they may not be able to adequately to pursue
ment, this study shows officer self-esteem can decrease fol-
suspects, detain suspects, or perform other tasks such as
lowing the use of disengaged psychological coping strategies.
operating their patrol cars (Copenhaver, 2016). The litera-
Research is also available about officer self-concept,
ture in the area of officer confidence is most easily under-
and three important relationships have emerged. First,
stood in terms of officer positive self-regard and physical
research has shown that law enforcement officers with
confidence. Officer health and wellness are also discussed
stronger/higher self-concept measures also experience
below to provide a theoretical understanding of factors that
lower levels of stress (Alexander, 1986). Malcher and
may be related to the concepts of officer self-regard and
Rymaszewska (2009) found in a sample of officers aged
physical confidence. The implications of a lack of officer
between 22 and 48, that officers averaged high levels of
confidence in terms officer performance are also discussed.
self-evaluation (self-concept) and that older officers were
less likely to assign themselves high scores on self-
evaluations. Ultimately, officer self-concept is important,
Positive self-regard
given the impact of the public’s perceptions of the police
Officer positive self-regard1 has been infrequently studied,
and how this can impact officer feelings of self, which
although how officers feel about and see themselves have
ultimately affect their projections of self toward the public
important connections with Skolnick’s (1967) notion of the
(Aremu and Tejumola, 2008).
‘police personality’. The police personality refers to the
Other research has shown that the nature of police work
way in which officers adapt to the constant potential of
itself can impact officer self-worth. For example, Stradling
situations involving danger, which may require the use of
et al. (1993) found that in a sample of police academy
force. As such, officers learn to adapt to the potential for
recruits, officer self-worth tracked in a ‘U-shape’, whereby
violence by adopting a vigilant attitude. Academic research
officers beginning academy reported higher levels of self-
in this area has focused on how officers, given this constant
worth, which dropped during academy, and rose again upon
vigilance, develop a suspicious attitude, emphasize security
completion. Gilmartin (1990) even notes that for law
(Burbeck and Furnham 1985), and become cynical in their
enforcement officers, being an officer and self-worth are
world view (Gould, 2000). Given the constant potential for
often synonymous because policing serves to meet all officer
violence, this law enforcement working personality
needs. Additionally, little research exists on the relationships
involves a considerable amount of stress. As such, how this
between officer health and wellness and self-concept. One of
stress affects officers is often understood in terms of self-
the few studies in this area, conducted by Wang et al. (2010),
esteem, self-concept, and self-worth.
found officer self-concept to be predictive of whether offi-
Research regarding officer self-esteem reveals that offi-
cers exhibit symptoms of depression. Weight training for
cers are better able to deal with the stress of law enforce-
law enforcement officers has also been found to be associ-
ment if they have positive ideas about their own self-worth
ated with officer self-concept (Norvell and Belles, 1993).
(Anshel, 2000). This, at the very least, allows officers to
Clearly, this calls for additional research on how self-
use self-esteem...
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