Perceptions of Police as Heroes and Support for Law Enforcement

Police are frequently portrayed as heroes in media, literature, and political discourse, but little research has explored public perceptions of police as heroic. This study evaluates whether perceived police heroism is distinct from other perceptions of police, explores possible antecedents of perceived police heroism, including procedural justice, perceptions of policing as dangerous, and binding moral foundations, and examines possible associations between perceived police heroism, legitimacy, and willingness to empower and cooperate with police. To test our conceptual model, we use data from a national YouGov survey (N = 1225). Results indicate that perceived police heroism is distinct from other views about police. Perceptions of policing as dangerous, procedural justice, and binding moral foundations explain variation in perceived police heroism. Perceived police heroism is associated—directly or indirectly—with willingness to empower and cooperate with police. The model better explained cooperation than empowerment. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.