Officer attitudes toward citizen review and professional accountability
| Author | Ming-Li Hsieh,Heeuk D Lee,Peter A Collins,Francis D Boateng,David Brody |
| Date | 01 June 2017 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355717695320 |
| Published date | 01 June 2017 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
Officer attitudes toward citizen review
2017, Vol. 19(2) 63–71
ª The Author(s) 2017
and professional accountability
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355717695320
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Heeuk D Lee
Department of Criminal Justice, Weber State University, USA
Peter A Collins
Criminal Justice Department, Seattle University, USA
Ming-Li Hsieh
Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA
Francis D Boateng
Department of Legal Studies, University of Mississippi, USA
David Brody
Department of Criminal Justice, Washington State University, USA
Abstract
The practice of citizen review has developed as one method for improving the accountability of law enforcement officers
to the general public and to their respective criminal justice organizations. However, little information is available
regarding officers’ general perceptions of the citizen review process, as well as the perceptions of those officers who
have actually been subject to formal review. This study provides analysis of data collected via a survey of commissioned
officers in a large metropolitan police department in the Pacific Northwest. Their attitudes and perceptions of their
professional and civilian oversight board, the Offices of Professional Accountability (OPA), were measured, and this study
found that police officers with a deeper understating of the OPA system were more willing to report misconduct. Also,
police officers who possess higher satisfaction attitudes toward the OPA were more likely to report grievances to it.
Keywords
Citizen review, civilian oversight, police, misconduct
Submitted 20 Sep 2016, Revise received 31 Dec 2016, accepted 31 Jan 2017
Introduction
has greatly expanded in the past decades in many cities in
the United States. As early as 1994, a national study by
Citizen review has developed as one method for improving
Walker and Wright found that many police agencies had
the accountability of law enforcement officers to the
some type of citizen review, including civilian complaint
general public and to their respective criminal justice
review boards. By 1998, nearly 80 percent of all agencies in
organizations. It is assumed that the inclusion of citizen
involvement and representation within the grievance pro-
cess will produce increased fairness and effectiveness in
Corresponding author:
the review of citizen complaints raised towards particular
Heeuk D. Lee, Department of Criminal Justice, Weber State University,
officers and/or agencies. The practice of external review, or
Ogden, UT 84408, USA.
police accountability systems that incorporate citizen input,
Email: heeuklee@weber.edu
64
International Journal of Police Science & Management 19(2)
the country had some form of citizen oversight (Walker,
Moreover, there is the notion that CRBs often focus on
1998). Likewise, there has been significant growth in the
an individual officer, thus overlooking the influence exer-
adoption of citizen review policies, which Walker and
cised and responsibility borne by supervisors (Finn, 2001).
Wright (1994) argue has been sparked, in part, by negative
Therefore, unless the oversight system includes making
public attitudes toward the police. These programs con-
recommendations for policy and procedure changes, super-
tinue to grow and evolve today (Attard, 2010).
visors may be allowing or even encouraging misconduct
The criminal justice and policing literatures are replete
(Finn, 2001). For example, Weisburd et al. (2000) con-
with information about the notion of police accountability
ducted a survey of police officers and found that nearly
and include studies on the variety and track record of a
85 percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed
number of specific citizen review systems. However, there
that a strong stance against abuse of authority taken by a
is still a lack of information about officers’ general percep-
Chief of Police has a large impact in discouraging line
tions of the citizen review processes, particularly, the per-
officers from abusing their authority. This survey also
ceptions of those officers who have actually been subject to
revealed that nearly nine out of ten survey respondents
formal review. This study adds to extant research by ana-
either agreed or strongly agreed that the presence of strong
lyzing survey data collected from a large metropolitan
first-level supervision was effective in preventing abuse of
police department in the Pacific Northwest region. The
police authority. Nevertheless, just over half of the survey
survey was used to examine police officers’ knowledge
respondents felt that effective supervision could actually
of Offices of Professional Accountability (OPA) practices
stop most instances of abuse of police authority (Weisburd
and processes, their experiences as both subjects of and
et al., 2000).
witnesses to OPA investigations, and any suggestions that
Previous research conducted by the International Asso-
they might have for modification of OPA practices. It is
ciation of Chiefs of Police (IACP, 2000) indicated that the
hoped that addressing officer perceptions of review prac-
most significant concerns of police executives with regard
tices will lead to the identification of a more efficient,
to citizen review include: (a) CRB members may not have
trustworthy, and positive review process that is mutually
a law enforcement background and therefore fail to under-
beneficial for those invested in or conducting reviews, as
stand appropriate police policies and processes; (b) police
well as those subjected to them.
officers become wary of citizen review and avoid prob-
lems in order to reduce potential allegations; (c) the
Police officers’ views about citizen
inability to implement suggestions may degrade the public
view of the agency; (d) citizen review may lead to a chief
review boards
control over the agency training process; (e) citizen
It has been assumed that because citizen review boards
review may produce a hostile relationship between the
(CRBs) address complaints with neutrality, fairness, and
officers and the public; and (f) the costs of review
thoroughness, the independent involvement of citizens will
mechanisms may burden the department.
improve the complaint process, and increase complainant
The degree of independence of civilian review has also
and citizen satisfaction with their police force (Attard,
been a central issue in the establishment of an external
2010; Barton, 1970; Landau, 1996; Smith, 2004). It is also
review board (de Guzman, 2007; Goldsmith, 1991; Perez,
assumed that through the CRB mechanism, citizens may
1994). Reiner (2000) argues that police culture is neither
impact future policing and officer performance in the com-
monolithic, universal, nor unchanging. It would seem that,
munity. However, citizen complaints and other investiga-
on a rather broad scale, police officers in the United States
tory processes headed by lay citizens have met with varying
are still rather reluctant to embrace a citizen-headed com-
amounts of disdain from police personnel. Generally,
plaint review process. Paoline (2001) argued that a police
police officers are concerned with the notion that allowing
agency has its own culture because of the different charac-
citizens to interfere with their work will depress officer
teristics of its working conditions such as the high risk of
morale and reduce agency effectiveness (Goldsmith,
danger, the use of firearms, and multiple police roles. He
1991). According to Finn’s (2001) study, police officers,
concluded that the key aspects of police culture are crime-
sheriffs, and deputies might deny that any misconduct had
fighting orientation, conflict with supervisors, and strong
even occurred, refuse to answer related questions, and may
group loyalty and isolation from the general public (Pao-
even resist providing needed records while dealing with
line, 2003). These organizational and cultural issues may
initial complaints by citizens. Furthermore, when citizens
influence many police departments and be reflected in the
managed to file successfully, complaints were often not
tendency to reject programs of external review and the
investigated in a systematic way, and even if allegations
belief that they, the police, should have the final and exclu-
of misconduct were substantiated, discipline was rarely
sive word on discipline, personnel policy, and complaint
imposed (Walker, 2005).
investigation procedures.
Lee et al.
65
Paoline (2003) indicated that most police tasks are
extremely difficult to determine in these types of studies
dangerous and hostile, and that officers tend to be skeptical
(de Guzman, 2004).
and suspicious of citizens in their working environment. As
a result, officers are more likely to isolate themselves from
Office of professional accountability
the public and deal with or rely exclusively on their fellow
officers. Moreover, Kingshott et al. (2004) asserted that
The OPA is responsible for...
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