. Cochrane and Butler (1980) compared values held by new recruits joining the force to police officers who had been through the police training. Also compared in the study were civilians. The method used was to test the subjects using the Value survey (Rokeach 1973). The findings showed the police officers placed self respect and less value on a world at peace. Civilians and recruits differed only by the fact that recruits placed less importance on a world at peace. Officers were found to concentrate more on self comfort and self respect than a world at peace. Officers differed to recruits as the officers placed more of an importance on self respect. This showed a difference between individuals just entering the police force to officers who had undergone police training. Showing training to be a big factor in the mould of a officers personality (For problems with these studies see evaluation).
Canteen Culture, otherwise known as locker-room culture was studied by Holdaway (1983), suggests that the lack of supervisory control of the lower ranks generates a strong internal system of norms and values between the junior ranks which were characterised and named as the locker-room culture. This culture between junior ranks supports malpractice by emphasizing the goals of fun, challenge and action in the police force.
In this culture a lot of discussions of ‘the chase’ exiting high speed action will take place where as the memory of the story in not important. The sense of importance and excitement is there, speed being central to the occupational culture. With officers discussing their jobs in this way, it may mould personalities into thinking it is part of the job to cause friction when on the job, or maybe it is a way of releasing stress from a stressful hard job. (Holdaway 1983) During the earlier ranks they will prefer to cause friction in the job e.g. radioing for back up when the situation could be sorted out through discussion. This could be due to the individuals wanting to improve the levels of there jobs excitement.
Waddington (1999) defends the canteen culture (locker-room) as he believes their is a major difference between the discussions which take place between officers and what there actual actions are on the streets. Research has found that police are not violent and as cynical nor authoritarian as made out, and when dealing with attacking victims are more likely to act like social workers towards the criminal. The argument given is that the canteen culture is a way of coping with a stressful job.
Evaluation
There are many factors which could relate to a police persons personality, Training, Types and Traits, Culture and Public Perception. Studies have argued for and against the personality of the police force. The problems I see with testing would be:
- Does the test actually test personality?
- Validity issue, does the test present useful information?
- Do test results stay stable over time? (Reliability)
- Could the test be cheated?
An unsolved debate is if the small differences between civilian and police officers represent socialisation or disposition. Both being believed to be important factors in a police personality. Socialisation as certain personalities are drawn to the police force, this may be true as for people to be interested in the same career parts of there personalities would be similar. Disposition, where the officers are moulded into having similar personalities is also true, as they are being trained to act and think like police officers, and after a period of time, I believe it would start to take affect in moulding the officers personality. Studies such as Austin et al (1987) back up this theory.
All of the factors have a role in the police personality, as studies carried out have all presented findings that show all to be important factors in a personality. The people entering the police force have a similar personality which makes the police force appeal to them. The training will mould the recruits into thinking the same values and norms. People’s perception of the force will always be a big factor as we use the term personality in a way that implies enduring attributes within people that influence the way that we experience them and interpret their behaviour. It is hard to change a person’s perception of a personality once they have already been influenced.