Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Citizens in China

Abstract

Although a substantial number of studies have examined public attitudes toward the police, a relatively thin line of research has assessed police attitudes toward the citizenry in China. Using survey data collected from a sample of approximately 200 Chinese police officers, the current study examined the effects of police officers’ demographic characteristics, socialization and experience factors, and role orientations on officers’ attitudes toward citizen virtue, citizen cooperation with the police, and citizen input in police work. Results indicated that background and experience characteristics were ineffective in predicting the three aspects of officer attitudes toward citizens. Crime-fighting and service orientations were found to be related to officers’ attitudes toward the citizenry. Findings of this study enhance our understanding of police occupational attitudes in China and provide valuable implications for policy and future research.