Majority of officers say they have become more callous since taking the job | Pew Research Center

January 6, 2017

3. Police and the community

Majority of officers say they have become more callous since taking the job

Majority of officers say they have become more callous since taking the job

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Majority of officers say they have become more callous since taking the job

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3. Police and the community
Increased sense of callousness associated with involvement in confrontations
Increased sense of callousness linked to officers’ views on aggressive tactics, negative feelings toward job
Younger officers, whites likelier to become more callous since joining department
Majority of officers say they have become more callous since taking the job
Younger, lower-ranking officers more likely to favor aggressive and hard, physical approaches
Some officers say tough, aggressive tactics are needed with some people and in some neighborhoods
Black officers far less positive about local police-minority relations than white or Hispanic officers
Younger rank-and-file officers less likely to say the people in the neighborhoods where they work share their values
Most officers say police need to know the community to be effective
Most officers say the public respects them, few feel distrustful of most people
About half or more officers say police have positive relations with the racial, ethnic groups in their communities
Rank-and-file officers less likely than police supervisors or administrators to have a positive view of the public