Monolithic Police Culture Analysis

Since William Westley’s seminal study in the 1950s, reports of a monolithic police culture have focused on the broadly collective attitudes, values, and norms that serve to manage strains created by the nature of police work and the disciplinary practices of police management and supervision (Brown, 1988; Crank, 1998; Drummond, 1976; Fielding, 1988; Kappeler, Sluder & Alpert, 1998; Manning, 1995; McNamara, 1967; Reiner, 1985; Reuss-Ianni, 1983; Rubinstein, 1973; Skolnick, 1994; Sparrow, Moore & Kennedy, 1990; Van Maanen, 1974 (1975?); Westley, 1970). A monolithic culture, which strives towards the homogeneity of attitudes, values, and norms associated with a single culture, could be projected to break up because organisational philosophies change (Chan, 1996; Fielding, 1994; Paoline et al.,

The prospect of a single collective traditional culture and the traditional values that connected police officials lose their essence as the groups that have been excluded from the police culture now join the police department; as they join, they might question, or outwardly reject, the attitudes, values and norms previously associated with it (Paolline III, 2003). Some researchers (Broderick, 1977; Brown, 1988; Muir, 1977; White, 1972) diverge from the traditional characterisation of police culture, suggesting that police officials may use different mechanisms that vary as they endeavour to cope with the strains of their occupation. This is supported by the argument that police officers cope with the strains of their occupation differently due to the fact that they see the world through different lenses (Paolline III, 2003). People of different ethnic groups are socialised at an early stage of their lives to conform to the norms, beliefs, and values of a particular culture.