Perceptions of Police, Racial Profiling, and Psychological Outcomes: A Mixed Methodological Study

Abstract While scholars have documented the contentious relationship between law enforcement and communities of color, most studies tend to compare perspectives of specific communities of color (e.g., Black Americans, Latina/os, Asian Americans) to White Americans—without examining between‐group differences of the historically marginalized racial groups. In Study 1, 543 participants of diverse racial/ethnic groups (e.g., Black, Latina/o, Asian, White) completed the Perceptions of Police Scale (POPS)—a measure of general attitudes toward law enforcement and beliefs about police bias. Findings demonstrate that Black participants were more likely than Whites and Latina/os to view police negatively. While there were no significant gender differences in participants’ perceptions of police, Black men were more likely to have negative perceptions of police than White and Asian men. In Study 2, we extracted 222 participants from the larger sample who were asked about the number of times police had unlawfully stopped them, while providing a guided narrative to explore their reactions to these experiences. A total of 61 participants (or 27.8% of the total sample) reported being unfairly stopped by police officers. Using the Consensual Qualitative Research method, three domains emerged: (a) Perceived Reasons for Police Stop, (b) Types of Responses, and (c) Perceived Characteristics of Multiple Stops. Implications for community relations and improving the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color are discussed. We also explore the psychological implications for participants who perceive being mistreated or discriminated by the police, particularly for those who are racially profiled. Finally, recommendations are provided to address systemic ways that racial bias can be monitored or minimized in training and hiring processes in police departments.