engleski

Measuring Police Characteristics using Survey of General Population

The aim of this paper is to present one of the approaches of measuring police quality using public perception. Purpose of the presentation is to show main problems in the process of selecting adequate scales and indicators, and therefore achieve innovative adaptation to the practical needs of the strategic police management. It is well-known that there exist many theories on measuring quality of police work, but this field is still open for adequate answers. Some of the theoretical approaches to police are based on older service quality measuring scales that evolved in the banking system directed on clients with experience (“Servqual” scales with dimensions such are reliability, responsiveness, confidence, attention etc.). Some theories are mainly focused on justice issues (procedural, distributive justice etc.), and other theories on general citizens’ satisfaction with police, based on their perception without any particular contact. There are also many mixed approaches evolved in police science as well. This paper will present main reasons for selecting particular indicators in the preparing of the measuring scale that is guided by usefulness of the results in the practical police management on the highest level. The presented questionnaire will be used for measuring public perception of quality of police service in Croatia during 2017 on the sample of 2000 citizens. The preliminary results of the pilot research presented in this paper are pointing out that main indicators are appropriate for measuring. For the measurement of public perception a questionnaire was constructed and applied (N=172). It consists of 34 items with 6 point likert scale, 2 multiple choice and 7 social demographic questions. For questionnaire structure analysis a principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted. Reliability analysis was also conducted.

measuring police quality, public perception, scales and indicators

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