The influence of department policy and accountability on officer-involved collisions
Abstract
Purpose
Little is known regarding the impact of organizational policies and practices on police officers’ driving behaviors. To address an important gap in the empirical literature, this study examined how perceived likelihood of discipline for violations of agency driving policies impacted officer-involved vehicle collisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Surveys were distributed to patrol officers and their supervisors in eight California law enforcement agencies. The surveys elicited information regarding the perceived likelihood of discipline for violations of agency driving policies regarding cell phone use, text messaging, seatbelt use, speeding, and vehicle operations during emergency and pursuit situations.
Findings
The findings demonstrated a significant impact of perceived likelihood of enforcement for some but not all agency driving policies on officer-involved vehicle collisions.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to self-reported data from patrol officers and their supervisors in eight California agencies.
Practical implications
Findings suggest that agencies may reduce officer injuries and other costs by increasing supervision and enforcement of agency driving policies.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the extant body of literature on officer-involved vehicle collisions by considering the impact of agency policy and supervision on officer behavior.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice (2012-DB-BX-K002). Points of view and opinions provided are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the US Department of Justice. This research was conducted while J. Andrew Hansen was a doctoral candidate at the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. He is now affiliated to the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, USA.
Citation
Hansen, J.A., Rojek, J., Wolfe, S.E. and Alpert, G.P. (2015), "The influence of department policy and accountability on officer-involved collisions", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 578-594. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-03-2015-0042
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited