Rethinking Police Culture

Book excerpt: Using survey data from two metropolitan police departments, the author examines attitudinal similarities and differences among officers. The findings indicate that the attitudinal homogeneity commonly associated with police culture is overstated; the findings indicate multiple attitudinal groups among officers. These differences are less attributable to the officers' background and more related to the shift and area in which they work. In addition, the patrol officers' direct supervisors (i.e., sergeants and lieutenants) attitudinally align with their subordinates.