Donut time: the use of humor across the police work environment

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine ritualistic humor or joking that exists in a small, rural police department in Western New York. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through participatory observations and interviews during the summer of 2014. Both authors worked in tandem to capitalize on individual expertise to maximize data collection and analyses. Findings – Results suggest that humor is leveraged by officers to socialize, cope and demarcate authority. Depending on the circumstance, humor can be orchestrated or spontaneous, given the intentions of the officer. Originality/value – Humor is an important lens through which to view police behavior. The current research underscores the importance of levity as a gauge of organizational and individual health.