Police leaders’ support for civilian oversight and implicit bias training: assessing the influence of perceptions of systemic racism

ABSTRACT

This study uses a sample of police leaders from across the United States to explore the extent to which their support for civilian oversight boards and implicit bias training, as two aspects of police reform intended to improve racial injustices, relate to their belief that systemic racism is an issue in criminal justice. Presented in the context of symbolic racism theory, we assess how respondents’ willingness to acknowledge systemic racism in criminal justice relates to more supportive perceptions of civilian oversight boards and implicit bias training. These relationships remain significant even when controlling for other individual and agency-level factors that are known to affect perceptions of systemic racism and support for public policies designed to improve racial justice. This study discusses the need for additional research and consideration of how police officers’ racialized attitudes relate to their support for common reform recommendations.

KEYWORDS:

• Systemic racism
• civilian oversight boards
• implicit bias training
• police leaders
• police supervisors

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David R. White

David R. White is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Ferris State University. His research focuses on police culture, organizations, and legitimacy, as well as individual motivations and fit in criminal justice organizations. He is a retired assistant chief of police, with nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience.

Joseph A. Schafer

Joseph A. Schafer is a Professor in the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. He conducts research, teaching, and training in the areas of policing, leadership, organizational change, and future issues in crime and justice.