Does bureaucratic representation enhance overall organizational accountability in policing?

Abstract

Many representative bureaucracy studies examine outcomes in the context of passive and active representation, but relatively few have investigated the effects of passive representation on outcomes for the organization as a whole. To address this gap, we analyze data from a national law enforcement survey in the United States on formal citizen complaints regarding allegations of excessive use of physical force. This measure aligns with a three-dimensional accountability framework consisting of information, discussion, and consequences. The analysis finds that greater representation in lower-level leadership is positively associated with a higher percentage of sustained citizen allegations of use of force, while representation in upper leadership generates mixed findings. The results contribute to the literature by highlighting the differential effects of representation in multiple leadership positions and by providing implications for overall organizational accountability.