Examining the Social Networks within an Urban Police Precinct (WITHDRAWN)

Background and Purpose

In an environment in which certain police departments face increased visibility and pressure to reform line-officer behavior, strategic allocation of efforts and resources remains paramount. While extant research identifies police supervisors as potential change agents in regards to shaping behavior, few studies examine the role that informal leaders (i.e. opinion leaders) may play in catalyzing organizational change. Drawing from Valente’s theory of relational diffusion networks (1995), we hypothesize that police precincts contain informal leaders who may play an instrumental role in disseminating information and influencing the attitudes and behaviors of police officers. The aim of this study is to identify potential “opinion leaders” within an urban police department, with a goal of informing future intervention efforts. The following research questions are addressed: How is the ‘advice seeking’ social network of a police precinct structured? Who are the most “central” members of the ‘advice seeking’ network in a police precinct? 

Methods

In February 2016, a paper-based social network survey was administered in one police precinct, on a single day during roll calls for each shift (day, night, swing) of a police department in a large city in the Northeast region of the United States. The survey asked a series of eight questions, including name, age, gender, race/ethnicity, rank, years on the force, assignment, and the manner with which they receive work-related information. Administrative records were also obtained to gather race/ethnicity, gender, years on the force, rank, and assignment information for those officers who were not present on the day of survey administration. Descriptive statistics were generated using Stata and social network measures of density, centrality, and network structure were analyzed using UCINET.

Results

Of the 35 officers present on the day of survey administration, 35 completed the survey--yielding a 100% response rate. 2 surveys were excluded from the analysis due to incomplete data. The final sample was largely male (79.7%), White (40.6%), Black (33.1%), and Hispanic (12.8%). The sample was comprised of mostly patrol officers (85.7%), with the majority (55.6%) having served as an officer for 10 years or fewer. Just under half (45%) of those surveyed nominated at least 10 other people who they would “seek work-related advice from.” The average number of nominations was 12, with a total of 335 ties identified. The high indegreecentrality among sergeants was anticipated, and is consistent with extant literature. Notably, several patrol officers also emerged as potentially valuable in disseminating information and effecting change, as they served as either brokers between groups or provided a high number of nominations. Initial findings suggest potential in developing targeted innovations in policy and practice based on the centrality of both formal and informal opinion leaders.

Conclusion and Implications

Examining the social networks within a precinct represents a promising approach for police departments to leverage pre-existing relationships to maximize the efficacy of interventions designed to promote organizational change and to ensure positive interactions between the police and the communities in which they serve.