Police Culture Research Paper

A Look at Police Culture and the Significance of Stress on the Job According to NCWC (2005), the occupation of policing has most often been described as hours of boredom, followed by minutes of sheer terror. The source also stated that any job in which such extremes exist, poses the need for cultural characteristics which reinforce the collective and impersonal nature of the work. “While most elements of police culture are universal, each agency possesses its own personal and distinctive organizational culture.” (Hall, 2002). Hall (2002) explained that the concept of police culture is comprised of two major components; the image of impartial and professional crime fighters that the police have of themselves and the system of behaviors
Sacrifice made by officer may extend as far as risking their lives for a fellow officer or a member of the general public. Hall (2002) stated that in police culture loyalty is an attribute that surpasses integrity. In other words, it is more important to consider the protection and safety of a fellow officer than to come forth and speak the truth, even if it means that you have to lie or cover for a crime committed. The aspects of police culture are intended for the long-term protection of police officers however, upholding the standards can also weigh in heavy on them. Plainly put, some of the secrecies inside police departments interfere with the personal morals and virtues of some officers and therefore causes an unnecessary load of stress. For example, a person may not believe in lying, but may be subjected to a situation where a fellow officer wants them to hide the truth. A person is then left with a heavy burden to choose between what they know is right or to go along with the value system imposed by the police subculture. In most cases, that person will choose to protect their coworker due to the fear of being singled out. An officer who chooses to look the other way when their partner is violating the rights of