Exploring Gender Differences in Citizen Allegations of Misconduct

Complaints that have been filed with the internal affairs office of a large police department in the Southeast were examined over a three year period. Possible differences between the male and female officers named in the allegations of misconduct were explored in the following areas: overall number of complaints; characteristics of the officer (age, race, and tenure); characteristics of the complaint; and characteristics of the citizen. While male officers were overrepresented in the allegations of misconduct, there were no significant differences found in the other areas of interest.