Development of a measurement tool to characterize constructive and destructive attitudes of police officers during conflict with civilians

Abstract

Police work involves daily conflicts with high potential for violence, often occurring in groups with differing values. Conflict management ranges from destructive methods, causing maximum harm and rejecting compromise, to constructive approaches that reduce escalation and promote positive relations. A field study conducted among 229 police officers sought to develop stable scales for measuring officers’ destructive and constructive tendencies, examining relationships between these scales, level of violence exhibited during Police Academy training, and relevant personality scales. The findings indicate that it is possible to construct stable scales to measure tendencies toward constructive and destructive struggle among police officers. Evidence supports the validity of the scales against levels of aggression measured by means of peer evaluation during training, as well as construct validity. This research provides a valuable tool for understanding and potentially improving conflict management approaches in policing.