Cops think we all steal and lie

CAREER policemen who have more than 10 years of service believe that most people lie when questioned, would steal if they knew they would not get caught and were untrustworthy and dishonest.

This is according to findings of a recent study on police culture carried out by Jean Steyn and Sabelo Mkhize of the University of KwaZuluNatal, published in the South African Crime Quarterly,

The study, conducted among officers who had 10, 20 or 30 years of service, found that irrespective of the years of service, or which province the officers were in, they all showed a propensity towards attitudes of solidarity, isolation and cynicism.

The study was conducted among officers from KwaZuluNatal, Gauteng and Limpopo.

The researchers said these attitudes were consistent with findings of a previous 10-year study on officers and that efforts to develop a “community policing” environment had not brought results.

The study found that the officers believed that policing was “highly skilled work and suitable for unique individuals who had toughness”.

The officers preferred to spend time with colleagues rather than others and had unfavourable views of the public.

“They believe groups outside of the police have very little understanding of police work, are unlikely to praise police and are resistant to advice from police officers.”

The study added that “solidarity, isolation and cynicism” were standard coping strategies among South Africa’s police officers, and increasing interaction between officers and the public created more discord than understanding.

While the study said there was no direct relationship being made between attitude and behaviour, Steyn, in a response to The Mercury, agreed that attitude could affect how officers carried out their duties.

“Empirical research over time, globally, has confirmed that most people, within relative terms, look for information that confirms that which they already know, especially within high-pressure situations where split-second decisions need to be made.”

Steyn added that police institutions recruited people who had attitudes that conformed to the “police culture” of solidarity, isolation and cynicism.

“These attitudes are what supposedly the ‘ideal police official’ looks like, according to police institutions. The longer the years of service in the police, the greater the strength of attitudes in support of police culture solidarity, isolation and cynicism.

“The peak, though, is at the 20-year mark, at which time the strength declines to that of police officials with 10 years’ service.”