Officer Race, Role Orientations, and Cynicism toward Citizens

Communities are heavily reliant upon officers to help maintain order and reduce fear of crime. Officers, however, may construe their roles narrowly as encompassing only law enforcement. They may also develop cynicism toward citizens. The present study examines officers’ role orientations and cynicism for variations across officer race. Previous research has delved into officer role orientation, but has not systematically tested for racial differences. No empirical evidence exists with respect to race and cynicism. Findings from a roll-call survey of officers in a municipal police department serving a diverse community show moderate racial differences suggesting Latino and black officers adopt a more expansive role orientation than white officers do. Strong effects emerge for cynicism, with black and Latino officers evincing significantly less negativity. These results suggest that diversifying police agencies may benefit communities in need of police help to reduce fear and strengthen informal controls.