| In the 40 or so years of research on police behavior, serious questions have been raised about the "public relation" problems police have had when confronting the general public. However, this research has allowed police to come to appreciate how some of their everyday routines are in need of revision. Research of the past 15 years, for example, demonstrates that random patrol has a limited effect on crime, and that the general public is a very critical dimension in the reporting and detecting of criminal behavior. In the wake of these more recent investigations into the impact of police work on public safety, the idea is that a "partnership" needs to be forged between the public and police if more effective and fruitful relationships are to grow.; Police work, at least in the face of everyday work routines, does seem to be forging a closer relationship with the public. Police sponsored programs such as DARE and COP have helped present police as a much more reasonable, accessible, and trusted dimension of the community. Thus, we should expect that the police will receive a greater sense of trust from the public. This researcher believed the study results would demonstrate that citizens were cooperative, understanding and supportive of police and similar in their perceptions. The assumption is that although contextual and demographic variables may be expected to influence the outcome of an encounter, police and citizens will feel similarly regarding the impact of these factors.; Through the use of a survey comprised of various street scenarios administered to Newark police and citizens, this researcher has discovered police and citizen perceptions of what power police will use and how citizens feel about the action expected. This investigation tested the hypotheses that there will be no statistically significant differences within or between the perceptions of these two groups and that citizens are supportive in their attitudes about specific police action.; Results of the research demonstrated that although age, ethnicity, and marital status of police officer were not statistically significant factors influencing police perceptions, race, gender and income were. Although income was not a statistically significant factor influencing citizen perceptions, gender, ethnicity, race, age, marital status, and the combined factors of gender/race, and gender/ethnicity were. The hypothesis that there would be no between group differences was rejected and the hypothesis that citizens were supportive of police was also rejected. In conclusion, results were mixed, but some factors were found to influence perceptions of the level of intrusiveness that would be used and more between group than within group differences were discovered. |
