The professionalization of law enforcement: The effects of social stratification factors and law enforcement sector on perceptions of professionalization among students at the FBI National Academy

This study examines how an individual's Social Stratification factors has effected perceptions of how professionalized he or she has become in their law enforcement career. Social Stratification factors are identified as parent's financial/educational background, and the law enforcement officer's race, religion, gender, age, current class, and educational level. Professionalization is measured by a belief in: Altruism (community vs. self interest); ethical standards; need for a lengthy training program and certification process; need for professional associations as opposed to trade unions; need for political agitation to win legal and popular support; sense of calling; and self-regulation or autonomy. In addition, the study reviews what effect an individual's placement within the various sectors of law enforcement (i.e., federal, state, county, etc.) has on his or her (as well as each sector's) perceptions of professionalization. This study relies on responses (through a directly-administered questionnaire) from students in attendance at three sessions of the FBI National Academy. Each session had an enrollment of approximately 250 students. The findings of the study can be summarized as follows: (1) There is a statistically significant relationship between Social Stratification and an individual's perception of how professionalized he or she has become in their occupation. (2) There is statistical evidence that a hierarchy exists among sectors of law enforcement, both in how sectors view themselves and each other. The data clearly supports a hierarchy that puts the Federal sector on top, followed by State, City, Military, County, International, and Campus sectors. (3) In spite of this emerging hierarchy, there is no relationship between Social Stratification and the sector in which an officer works, or sector and how professionalized an officer believes he or she has become.