Date of Graduation

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Committee Chair

Jesse SG Wozniak

Committee Co-Chair

Jason P Manning

Committee Member

James J Nolan

Abstract

The field of policing has recently come under the public scrutiny due to the events surrounding the deaths of several citizens at the hands of police officers. Although not the first time policing has been criticized, the issues have caused the country to become increasingly divided on whether or not American police forces are in need of reform. There has been an overwhelming amount of complaints against law enforcement and suggestions to improve policies. As political and public figures have taken sides and police administration has made statements regarding the issues, the voices of those that would be most affected by change have been drowned out; the officers. This study has identified which issues have become most important to the public through a quantitative content analysis, obtained the reactions and opinions of law enforcement officers on these issues and suggestions, and developed an officer development model to determine which factors of the institution of policing are most influential in "problem officer" development. This study specifically focuses on rural law enforcement due to how underrepresented rural policing is in law enforcement literature.

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