The Long Shadow of Ferguson: Legitimacy, Legal Cynicism, and Public Perceptions of Police Militarization

Abstract

This study examines public perceptions of police militarization, specifically whether individuals believe police are too militarized, and support for practices associated with militarization. Drawing on concepts found in the legal socialization literature—legitimacy and legal cynicism—this study tests hypotheses regarding whether these constructs influence perceptions of militarization. Using a national sample of 702 American adults, a series of ordinary least squares regression models are used to analyze the relationships between legitimacy, cynicism, and perceptions of police militarization. Results suggested that higher levels of legitimacy reduced beliefs that police are too militarized while also increasing support for practices associated with militarization. Cynicism increased beliefs that the police are too militarized, but had no effect on support for militarization. Perceptions of militarization are thus influenced by legal socialization.

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

“…For instance, anchoring is commonly used as a means of estimating risk and uncertainty (Plous ; Wright and Anderson ), and predicting future performance (Switzer and Sniezek ). Legitimacy appears to function as an anchor for individual evaluations of police (Fox et al ; Pryce ; Sunshine and Tyler ), with recent research demonstrating that legitimacy colors individuals' subjective perceptions of police appearance and behavior (Moule et al ). As Sunshine and Tyler (: 517) noted, “when [police] are not viewed as legitimate, their actions are subject to challenge, their decisions are not accepted, and their directives are ignored.” This recognition provides a theoretical basis for the direct effects of legitimacy on empowerment.…”

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.…”

“…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.…”