Assessing the Direct and Indirect Effects of Legitimacy on Public Empowerment of Police: A Study of Public Support for Police Militarization in America

Abstract

The process‐based model dominates contemporary American research on police‐community relations and perceptions of police. A sizable literature has examined the linkages between procedural justice, legitimacy, compliance with the law, and cooperation with police. Less examined is the relationship between legitimacy and public empowerment of police. This study examines this relationship, focusing on police militarization. We first examine the direct effect of legitimacy on public willingness to allow police to become more militarized. Drawing from cognitive psychology and rational choice theories, we then consider indirect paths between legitimacy and empowerment, concentrating on two anticipated consequences of militarization—an increase in police effectiveness and possible harm to civil liberties. Using a national sample of over 700 American adults, and structural equation modeling, results indicate legitimacy has both direct and indirect effects on police empowerment, in part by shaping assessments of the possible consequences of empowerment. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

Police militarization in theUnited States

“…Interestingly, Moule, Parry, and Fox find that perceptions of police legitimacy only predicted support for SWAT teams being used to serve drug warrants and patrol civil unrest; however, there was near universal support for using SWAT teams to respond to hostage situations and terror attacks. Ultimately, these studies by Moule and colleagues (Fox et al, ; Moule, Burruss, et al, ; Moule, Fox, & Parry, ; Moule, Parry, & Fox, ) and Lockwood et al () are illustrative of the fact that perceptions of police legitimacy have a strong influence on public support for police militarization. Moule, Burruss, et al note that perceptions of legitimacy are especially important for police to consider as it can improve criminal justice outcomes and law following (Tyler, , , ).…”

“…Concerns about crime and public safety and satisfaction with local police were positively associated with support for police using military equipment. George Burruss, Bryanna Fox, Richard Moule Jr., and Megan Parry provide a similar assessment of public perceptions of police militarization using an online, nationally representative, survey of 702 individuals; these researchers provide the first insights into how perceptions of police legitimacy and legal cynicism might inform public perceptions and support of police militarization (Fox et al, ; Moule, Burruss, et al, ; Moule, Fox, & Parry, ; Moule, Parry, & Fox, ). Fox et al () used a latent class analysis to find that public support for or opposition against police militarization fell into several distinct categories that were marked by normative beliefs.…”

“…Using OLS regression analyses to assess public opinion from the same survey, Moule, Fox, and Parry () found that respondents who reported higher views of police legitimacy were more likely to support police militarization and feel that the police had not become too militarized, while respondents who reported higher levels of legal cynicism were more likely to feel the police were too militarized, but legal cynicism did not predict levels of support for police militarization. Using structural equation models with the same 702 respondents, Moule, Burruss, et al () found that public support for police using military surplus equipment in police work was positively associated with perceptions of police legitimacy. However, support for police using military surplus equipment was also mediated by public perceptions of whether police militarization made police more effective and whether police militarization increased the likelihood of police violating citizens' rights.…”

“…In fact, police militarization may negatively impact the public's perceptions of the police to the point that citizens are more hostile toward the police (Bell, ; Mummolo, ). This is especially concerning given that the public's support of police militarization is strongly influenced by preexisting perceptions of police legitimacy (Moule, Burruss, et al, ; Moule, Fox, & Parry, ). However, it remains unknown how actual levels of police militarization impact public perceptions of police legitimacy.…”

“…Survey research on police militarization has focused on three areas: the creation and deployment of elite tactical police units (e.g., paramilitary police units (PPUs) (Kraska & Cubellis, ; Kraska & Kappeler, )), the views of law enforcement officers regarding police militarization (Kunselman, Vito, & Walsh, ; Phillips, ; Turner & Fox, ), and determinants of public perceptions toward police militarization (Fox, Moule, & Parry, ; Lockwood, Doyle, & Comiskey, ; Moule, Burruss, Parry, & Fox, ; Moule, Fox, & Parry, ; Moule, Parry, & Fox, ).…”