The threat of mission distortion in police‐probation partnerships

Purpose The growth of formal police‐probation partnerships in the USA has been accompanied by an increased awareness of the potential threats of mission distortion. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of mission distribution Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on interviews with police and community corrections officers involved in an active partnership in Spokane, Washington. The paper emphasizes the abuse of authority, stalking horse incidents, and the scope of legitimate police and probation authority. Findings Ultimately, mission distortion has the potential to undermine the credibility of police‐probation partnerships. Originality/value The paper offers training and policy recommendations for police and community corrections administrators.