The risk assessment inventory : assessing the future misconduct of operational police officers

Abstract

Misconduct among police has been an evocative phenomenon among media sources around the world. In the recent past there has been a relative increase in academic inquiry regarding police misconduct, but it remains a subject featuring little empirical research. In Australia, there has been noteworthy consideration of the police misconduct environment, typically only limited by the reluctance of law enforcement agencies to share data, or any specifics relating to the misconduct of their workforce. The extensive public exposure of information relating to police misconduct in Australia was leveraged through parliamentary inquiries in Queensland (the Fitzgerald Inquiry) and New South Wales (the Wood Royal Commission, Tink Review and Operation Prospect). Despite these inquiries, the misconduct environment of law enforcement agencies in Australia remains relatively unexplored, with little exposure to analytical research methodologies. This thesis represents an opportunity consider serious police misconduct, among a large policing agency, the NSW Police Force (NSWPF). Findings from these analyses were noteworthy for the knowledge area of police misconduct in Australia. It appears that a nexus of factors have a role in the likelihood of serious misconduct among officers. The finding that secondary employment, and time spent at rank were associated with serious misconduct was particularly important. While, there was evidence that a departure from procedural justice within the complaint process, had negatively impacted the prospects of remediating officer behaviour. A large proportion of officers also identified trauma exposure and stress as key contributors to their misconduct. Results of these analyses were utilised in extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour, with noteworthy success. A range of practice and research recommendations may be drawn from this thesis. These findings provide a pathway to more effective misconduct prevention strategies for agencies, in particular the important roles of psychosocial, financial and workplace support in preventing serious misconduct. Additionally, these findings supported the importance of procedural justice in the investigation and remediation of misconduct. Finally, the link between trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder and serious misconduct requires further research, however this does not preclude immediate development and implementation of best practice support mechanisms for officers at risk.

Date of Award	2021
Original language	English