Agency culture and the banality of risk
Published online on August 07, 2015
Abstract
Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Volume 38, Issue 3, Page 539-562, August 2015.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role that agency culture, training, and supervision play in the rates of on-the-job seatbelt use among peace officers, as well as other officer safety-related driving concerns such as cell phone use, Mobile Data Terminal use, and other sources of distraction. Design/methodology/approach – Based on semi-structured interviews with California peace officers. Findings – This study found an array of agency culture issues related to on-duty collisions, including distraction, failure to follow policy or procedure, fatigue, self-selection processes among officers and agencies, supervision and field training processes, morale issues, and family/lifestyle issues. Originality/value – To explain these agency culture findings, this paper introduces the concept of the “banality of risk” to understand why many officers choose not to use risk-attenuating equipment. The findings are suggestive of a set of best practices that agencies could consider regarding in-vehicle officer safety.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role that agency culture, training, and supervision play in the rates of on-the-job seatbelt use among peace officers, as well as other officer safety-related driving concerns such as cell phone use, Mobile Data Terminal use, and other sources of distraction. Design/methodology/approach – Based on semi-structured interviews with California peace officers. Findings – This study found an array of agency culture issues related to on-duty collisions, including distraction, failure to follow policy or procedure, fatigue, self-selection processes among officers and agencies, supervision and field training processes, morale issues, and family/lifestyle issues. Originality/value – To explain these agency culture findings, this paper introduces the concept of the “banality of risk” to understand why many officers choose not to use risk-attenuating equipment. The findings are suggestive of a set of best practices that agencies could consider regarding in-vehicle officer safety.