Arab immigrants’ perceptions of the police in an ethnic enclave community

Purpose While research on procedural justice and police legitimacy is substantial, little attention has been given to understanding these concepts within immigrant communities, especially those with high concentrations of Middle Eastern immigrants. The purpose of the study was to investigate Arab immigrants’ perceptions of the police in one of the largest Arab ethnic enclaves in the northeastern U.S. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on interviews with first- and second-generation Arab immigrants, as well as local police officers (N = 91). Findings We found that the perceived criminogenic context of the city and how police handled crime and disorder significantly influenced participants’ perceptions of the police and their legitimacy. We also identified differences in first- and second-generation participants’ perceptions of officers’ response to complaints about crime and disorder within the ethnic enclave versus the larger city, which appeared to shape their divergent views of the police. Research limitations/implications Our findings shed light on the importance of considering community dynamics and context when examining immigrants’ evaluations of the police. The findings can also inform police departments about how to strengthen police–citizen relations as they serve diverse immigrant communities. Originality/value This study builds on previous research by qualitatively investigating the factors that shape police–citizen relations among first- and second-generation immigrants in an understudied ethnic group and a unique community setting.