Personality Traits In Policing

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses that policing is a unique industry that attracts certain specific personality traits and fosters the development of other related behavioral characteristics even among those not necessarily naturally inclined toward those particular elements of personality. The paper states that according to many industrial psychology theorists, the choice of policing as a vocation is primarily a reflection of pre-existing "unique" personality traits; others maintain that police candidates share less psychological uniformity before their appointment to law enforcement positions and that it is vocational socialization and the experience of policing that emphasizes and reinforces many of the personality traits that veteran officers have been observed to share. The paper states that in all likelihood, both factors contribute to any common aspects of personality in policing, just as they contribute, in some combination or another, to commonalities of personality and behavior amongst other vocational identities.

Outline:
Introduction
Unique Personality Traits and the Effect of Vocational Socialization and Experience
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Similarly, some degree of pre-existing assertiveness in personality is also advantageous to law enforcement employment, because forcefulness of personality and intimidation are tactical requirements in many situations (Dantzker, p. 346). Therefore, much of police training and experience also cultivates it continued development. In a practical sense, appointment to a sworn police position undoubtedly appeals very naturally to the authoritarian personality trait as well, but the functional realities of police work (especially among patrol or "line" officers) tend to magnify any natural personal psychological inclination toward authoritativeness."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dantzker, M.L. (2003) Understanding Today's Police. New Jersey: Prentice Hall
• Geeting, J. (2003) The Badge: Thoughts from a State Trooper. Indian Wells: McKenna.
• Schmalleger, F. (1997) Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

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