Zero Tolerance,Zero Problems? The Conditional Effect That Police Officers’ Perceptions of Zero Tolerance for Discrimination Have Among Hispanic Officers

Abstract

As street-level bureaucrats have become increasingly diverse, scholars have devoted considerable attention to issues related to diversity, including strategies to prevent workplace discrimination. However, most of this research focuses on diversity in the context of racial and gender identity, with significantly less attention given to ethnic identity. This study posits that the perception of a zero-tolerance policy is a crucial factor in a street-level bureaucrat’s belief that they can perform their duties free from discrimination and that this effect is conditioned on their ethnic identity. Using an observational survey of local police officers, this study finds that the perception of a law enforcement agency enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination is associated with an increase in the likelihood of an officer perceiving that they can carry out their duties free from discrimination. In addition, the findings indicate that this effect is stronger for Hispanic officers compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. This article contributes to the understanding of how perceptions of anti-discrimination practices influence the workplace.