Police Culture at a Crossroads: An Analysis of Police in Schools.

摘要

Police presence in schools continues to increase and represents a fundamental shift in the traditional work settings, activities, and roles of police. In school settings, SROs develop unique work relationships, interact with citizens frequently, work with the same people in the same locations on a stable basis, and are relatively isolated from the police agency and other officers. Officer transition into schools has yet to be fully investigated, and it is essential to understand how police presence in schools affects officers, students, parents, and school staff. To learn about officers' experiences as SROs and their transition into schools, surveys, ethnographic interviews, and participant observations were conducted with SROs assigned to programs in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri. A concurrent nested mixed methods design was utilized in which qualitative methods were the dominant approach and quantitative data supplemented qualitative themes. Thematic data analysis of interviews and observations involved a grounded theory approach. Findings revealed the experience of being an SRO was different from participants' previous policing experiences. In response to an unfamiliar work setting, participants adapted to the position and experienced a number of challenges and facilitating factors as they transitioned. In becoming SROs, participants reported a change in how they viewed themselves and their work. These findings pose theoretical and practical implications for the functioning of SRO programs and police work generally.