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Masculinity In The Police Force

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Police officers constantly at risk for becoming victims of physical and psychological violence (Gutierrez, 2013) in the line of duty. In serving and protecting the people, the deal with criminals, murderers, domestic dispute, negative portrayal in the media, civil unrest, and organizational challenges (Karaffa, 2012; Gutierrez, 2013). Police officers often feel misunderstood and unappreciated by the general population despite their efforts to protect and serve, as a protective measure, they form bond with each other and develop ways to effectively cope with the challenges unique to the job as a group. Police officers had a distinct set of norms and values and as a result of their shift work officers tend to socialize with each other (Karaffa, 2012). The predominance of males in the police force (80%) has fostered masculine values such as toughness, aggression and machismo by reinforcing emotional control and toughness even in the light of danger. …show more content…

In the literature, there have been debate of whether police officers drink to relieve stress or to enhance social bonding. However, the main point is that police consumes more alcohol that the general population. In a classical research, Pendergrass and Ostrove (1986) found that female officers drank more alcohol than women in the general population. He attributed this to the police culture. Research also indicated that males opt to bond via consuming alcohol and socializing with colleagues than

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• Criminal incidents involving police often go unpunished as indicated by the SIU’s conviction rate of 6%. Thus, the officers in this instant are less accountable to their actions as their possibility of conviction is less likely. KEY CONSIDERATIONS • Historical, underrepresentation of women in policing and the oppression these women face has been continuous and is still an issue that exists today. • Thus, for the issue to be eradicated, responsibility for the solution needs to be shared between both male and female officers as well as lower and higher ranks individuals.

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The author observed that most criminals and or police officers are men. He associates this with the importance for a man to prove his masculinity to others. “Violent acts committed by men, whether these acts break the law or are designed to uphold it, are often a way of demonstrating the perpetrator’s manhood” (pg.135). This gendered violence is often experienced by boys in poor neighborhoods at a young age. This form of masculinity is described by Rios to be the center of police youth interactions, which has influences many young men to live lives of defiance and

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“Frequent exposure to media reports of police abuse or corruption is a strong predictor of perceptions of misconduct and supports the belief that is common.” (France-Respers 1). But unfortunately, it also brings me disheartened feelings. Recently, I was on twitter and I stumbled across a video of a young white male who was roughly about twenty to twenty-five years of age who was being handled so aggressively by about six officers while he was NOT resisting.

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501 Words | 3 Pages

I chose to read the article “Video Killed Trust in Police Officers.” This article was written by Conor Friedersdorf, in which he gives his take on the exsisting trust our communities have on police officers, and the events that have led to the trust rate. Friedersdorf’s article talks about the glossy, perfect image of what he believed police officers to be. He grew up with the belief that police officers were like heroes, helping members of the community who were in need. However, he soon learned that this was not always the case.

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890 Words | 4 Pages

All throughout America, individuals are taught at a young age that police officers are always the “good guys.” Police officers are painted to be trustworthy, honorable, and advocates of justice. This idea is often displayed in the media through television shows, movies, and news specials. For some, this idea still holds truth, however there are many, particularly individuals of color, whom would quickly disagree. Numerous persons of color have been subjected to racial profiling by officers resulting in stops, searches, and false accusation of crimes.

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435 Words | 2 Pages

Working in a culturally diverse city, police officers are expected to interact with citizens in a professional manner which includes understanding various backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ethnicities. Misunderstanding an ethnic culture occurs when officers are not educated or aware of differing ethnic groups and cultural standards. If police officers are knowledgeable in various ethnic groups, they will not only avoid conflicts, criminal litigations against themselves, but also prevent violent riots and further distrust that ethnic groups already have with law enforcement

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1304 Words | 6 Pages

The information obtained allowed the researchers to develop five specific types of officers, only one of which was similar to the bad apple stereotype. These include personality disorders, previous painful job-related experience, young inexperienced or macho officers; officers who learn improper patrol styles, and officers with personal

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1303 Words | 6 Pages

These aspects of the job that police officers encounter on a daily basis tend to make the police act more violently then they should in many situations (Saari 1). In smaller towns, officers know most of the people they are dealing with. Police in larger cities do not have this luxury. Small town life lends itself to a quieter relationship between the police and the citizens. The greater tendency of crime in larger cities combined with less knowledge of the local population subjects the law enforcement officers to more violence and abuse than police in smaller towns.

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Over the past few decades, police departments across the country have received significant amounts of military-grade equipment, including weapons, vehicles, and surveillance technology. This has led to a culture in which police officers are trained to view themselves as soldiers at war with their own communities. This mindset can contribute to a more aggressive and confrontational approach to policing, which can increase the likelihood of the use of excessive force. Additionally, the use of military equipment can also contribute to a sense of fear and intimidation among community members, which can further erode trust in law

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Police officers are sworn in with the responsibility of serving and protecting the public. Members of the public expect their local police departments to keep their community safe, and protect them from danger and harm. Lately, police-citizen relationships have been strained as a result of problematic police behaviors and citizen encounters. Police use-of-force has become a pressing issue in modern society and has caused distrust and a lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies. Tragedies such as the deaths of Michael Brown, Erick Garner, and Sandra Bland has fueled the public’s outrage and suspicion of local police officers.

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The overabundance of media relating to crime has not only influenced public opinion but has also triggered changes for law enforcement personnel. The bias (or incorrect/incomplete) views of news media have contributed to a negative opinion of law enforcement officers. Television programs and movies have portrayed false realities of the lives of law enforcement

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(http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu) Job environment, the way women are treated on the job, internal support for career development and other advancements are some problems that has affected female employees that work in Law enforcement. (http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu) Approximately 1.4% of women have administrative positions in law enforcement. There are more men that are sworn officers than women in Law enforcement. Statistics state that female police officers not to involve themselves in violence when they encounter issues with citizens. It has also been said that female officers are more prepared than male officers to handle disputes and people are less likely to be arrested once female police officers handle it.

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There is a belief among some people that racist white police officers are hunting down innocent black men(Bandler, 2016). But thanks to a series of numbers brought to our eyes by the hand of a Heather Mac Donald, statistics from 2015 show that cops kill almost twice as many white people as black people (Mac Donald, 2016). On top of these statistics, the majority of the black victims were handling some kind of deadly weapon(Bandler, 2016). This does have a direct correlation with the amount of force used within the police force simply because of judgement and the way an intense time could alter the way people think or feel about specific situations(Bandler, 2016). Today, these specific situations almost seem like any traffic stop or crime confrontation(Bandler, 2016).

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Hollywood and social media has blown the police subculture way out of proportion, portraying police officers as crooked cops who abuse their authoritative powers and beats every suspect they encounter during their tour of duty. Critics who are opposed to law enforcement services can argue that a police organization is nothing but a bunch of racist, power hunger, and trigger happy individuals. On the other hand, supporters of law enforcement will work cooperatively with the department in order to prevent crime, enforce the law, preserve the peace, and provide a safe environment (Houston Police Department General Orders, 2012). Studies from Wine (2014) revealed that “black and white officers were equally likely to shoot African-American suspects” (para. 6). When a police officer (white or black officer), conducts a routine traffic stop, and the officer immediately observes the driver of the vehicle pointing a handgun directly at him, the officer does not have time to ponder about the suspect’s skin color, and decide whether to discharge his firearm or not.

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917 Words | 4 Pages

Although some people may challenge that diversifying police officers will not make a difference in the relationship with communities, police departments mirroring the diversity of communities may mend tension. Notably, the lack of minorities in law enforcement derives from distrust between minorities in communities and law enforcement. In detail, with more policing predicaments emerging, such as police brutality over the recent years, minorities have been more hesitant to join police force due to their

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