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Policing in Unsettled Times: an Analysis of Culture in the Police Organization

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Policing in Unsettled Times: an Analysis of Culture in the Police Organization Policing in Unsettled Times: An Analysis of Culture in the Police Organization by Holly Campeau A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology University of Toronto © Copyright by Holly Campeau (2016) Policing in Unsettled Times: An Analysis of Culture in the Police Organization Holly Campeau Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology University of Toronto 2016 ABSTRACT This dissertation examines how actors within a public sector institution - a police organization - use culture to make sense of a shifting occupational landscape. Interviews with 100 police officers and field notes from 50 ride-along hours were collected over the course of 18 months in the police service of a medium-sized city. Rather than conceive "police culture" as an ideal-type of values and attitudes, this project engages with concepts from sociological literature on culture and organizations to re- conceptualize police culture as a "resource" officers deploy to navigate what can be risky work in a contentious organization. First, contrasting traditional cultural depictions of police officers as unremittingly mission-oriented and indivisible, findings reveal the fragility of officer solidarity and unwillingness to engage with risky situations. Expanding surveillance outside the reach of law enforcement (e.g. cellphone videos, social media, etc.) contribute to uncertainty as officers carry out their duties. Second, police engage with a combination of myths and generational scripts in ways that both defend and challenge the status quo in their organization. "Old-school" scripts sustain the prominence of paramilitarism, camaraderie and athleticism. And while "new-generation" scripts are mainly deployed ceremonially to signal legitimacy to external policing constituents, some officers also use them to express the importance of education, the banality of military mindsets, and the need ii for equitable practices to be implemented on a more routine basis. Finally, results show that police rely on jointly established understandings about their local community to both perform and justify their organization's non-conformity with certain industry standards. Overall, insofar as change in policing is the objective in the current era of wavering public confidence and fiscal crisis, this study suggests that mere top-down policy reform is insufficient: organizational policy and actual practices are only loosely-linked and those charged with implementing a new course of action (i.e. senior officers) are often the staunchest supporters of non-change. Without a disruption to the lock-step hierarchical structure of the police organization, institutional reform is likely only to emerge generationally, as the most promising energy for transformative change rests among cohorts entering the occupation at a particularly unsettled time. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a great debt of gratitude to everyone who supported this journey – but certain people must be acknowledged directly, for without them, my achievement would not have been possible. I would first like to thank my committee – who I refer to as the Dream Team – Ron Levi, Josée Johnston and Candace Kruttschnitt. Ron, the mentorship you have provided me over the years is unparalleled. Every step of the way, you offered scholarly and professional guidance that was earnest, meticulous, and just plain brilliant. Your strategic approach to framing and solving problems is a skill I can only hope to hone, and I am sincerely grateful for every push you gave to ensure that I reach my full potential. And, as if all of that is not enough, you have also been a friend to me through difficult times. You truly are one-of-a-kind, Professor Levi, and I will never be able to fully express the appreciation I have for the opportunity of being your student. To Josée, thank you for the clear direction you provided when I was navigating new academic territory. Without your helpful advice and willingness to share your expertise on what became my theoretical lens, this dissertation would not have been feasible. I would also like to thank you for your kind words of encouragement and confidence along the way – they helped more than you know. And to Candace, too few approach research with the same empirical rigor you do. Thank you for keeping me accountable to the logic of inquiry, and for reminding me that I should always ask: “Why does this matter?” I count myself lucky to have worked with such a talented scholar who is not only accomplished, but also a generous spirit and a lot of fun! To Ronit Dinovitzer, Sandra Bucerius, Scot Wortley, Todd Foglesong, Jooyoung Lee, Philip Goodman, Matthew Light, Mariana Valverde, and all the other professors out there that offered advice or helpful comments on my work, thank you. I would also like to acknowledge the amazingly helpful staff (I see you Carmela!) as well as my fellow PhD students in the Department of Sociology and Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies. I am very grateful to have had the kind of support that can only come from those who “get it” because they too are “in it”. I have to personally thank Luca Berardi and Natasha Madon; two faces that will always come to mind when I think back on my time in graduate school (even if the three of us are now living on different continents). Luca, you have been in my corner since the beginning – and quite literally, as two first-years working feverishly in the corners of our tiny office. To say that we have become good friends and colleagues would be an understatement. I have come to cherish our adventures together and the profound philosophical discussions we share that force us to think more deeply about our research. Never have I had such a strong ally that could relate so closely to the challenges I face, and I am extremely thankful for you. And to Natasha, you very suddenly and very quickly became an invaluable friend and confidant to me when I needed it most, and I have been able to look to you for guidance and reassurance ever iv since. In a short period of time, we made wonderful memories that I will always treasure, and I know there are many more laughs to be shared. There are many people and organizations to which I am grateful for their role in securing the feasibility of my research. First, I must acknowledge the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario and the University of Toronto for their generous financial support. Secondly, the members of the Blueville Police Service allowed me into their midst and let me pry in their work lives, and for that I cannot thank them enough. To those officers who spoke with me – sometimes for hours – and even took me along in their cruisers, I am grateful for your candidness and willingness to share. Without respondents like you and the lessons you bestowed, I would not have even been able to ask the right questions, let alone find answers. And of course, I give tremendous thanks to Don, my gatekeeper into their world. I must also thank my dear friends outside of the academy that have been an unwavering source of support for me. To Jamie Machin, Daria Risteska, Paula Wagner, Kristina Bothmer, Hayley Watts and Dana Castro, the encouragement you provide and the faith you have in my abilities have served as major motivators, and for that I owe you all big time! I am forever indebted to my loudest cheerleaders of all: my family. Thank you to Amara Shay for being my comic-relief and a fierce advocate. The fact that you tell random strangers that your cousin is going to be a doctor is a true (and hilarious) testament of your love for me. Thank you to my loving and devoted second set of parents, Elsie and Ken, who have always rooted for me, and of course Nan, who sends delicious cookies and selflessly committed to a full week of dog- sitting so that I could write my comprehensive examination. To my brothers, Kyle and Cody, I am so grateful for the favors you have graciously done for me over the years, from driving me to and from Toronto, dog-sitting, home renovations, and of course, the jokes! I am also thankful for my loyal writing companion, my dog Phoebe. In hindsight, I realize your cries for attention have served as much needed reminders that there is a life outside my computer screen. I cannot even begin to thank my Mom and Dad, Pauline and Jake Campeau. You have both worked tirelessly to give us a chance at life, and your profound influence has been felt through this entire process. I am eternally grateful for the love and commitment you have always shown as I pursue my goals and for reminding me that nothing gives easy, and easy gives nothing. And finally, a resounding thanks to my most steadfast supporter, my husband, Brandon Unis. You have been a loving, devoted and dependable partner since we were basically kids, and this accomplishment is truly every bit yours as it is my own. You have looked over chapters, listened to practice-run presentations and even helped alphabetize undergraduate papers. Your constant faith in me and unfaltering willingness to do whatever it took to see me through has been a powerful inspiration in reaching the last sentence of this dissertation. Thank you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................... ivv TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ..............................................................................................................................
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