The nice guys. Variations in attitudes towards procedural justice in the French national police and gendarmerie

The way police officers exercise their authority in accordance with the principles of procedural justice—treating citizens with dignity and respect, making neutral decisions, allowing citizens to express themselves, and conveying trust—has been viewed by many policymakers, experts, scholars, and police leaders as a key means to restore police legitimacy. Yet, there remains a persistent gap between the principles officially endorsed by police organizations and senior managers, on the one hand, and the actual attitudes and values of police officers, on the other. Drawing on a survey of police and gendarmerie officers, this article examines how members of France’s two main national police institutions position themselves with regard to attitudes that can be described as procedurally just. The combined effects of institutional belonging, hierarchical rank, perceptions of organizational justice, exposure to hostile working environments, and fear of crime at work show that these attitudes are not merely the product of individual preferences but reflect differentiated processes of professional socialization.