Police stops, suspicion and the influence of police department cultures: a look into the Belgian context
Journal of Organizational Ethnography
ISSN: 2046-6749
Article publication date: 2 December 2021
Issue publication date: 20 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how suspicion that leads to a police stop is developed by police officers in Belgium, and the way in which police department culture influences the creation of suspicion.
Design/methodology/approach
The data on which this article is based are the result of an ethnographic study within two local Belgian police forces. In total, the researcher has observed for a total amount of 750 h the day-to-day practices of police officers in different police services. Next to that, 37 in-depth interviews were taken from police officers employed in the same services that participated in the observations.
Findings
While the creation of suspicion in a police officer's mind is a complex process that is influenced by various factors such as the individual characteristics of the police officer and the applicable legislation, the impact of police department culture is equally important and can be responsible for maintaining discriminatory and stereotypical mindsets.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper lies in the fact that it offers insight into the Belgian police stop practice, a topic about which not much is known on an international level. In addition, it also focuses on the role of departmental cultures in the actions of police officers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: This research was funded by the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen (FWO, the Research Foundation Flanders).
Citation
Saudelli, I., De Kimpe, S. and Christiaens, J. (2022), "Police stops, suspicion and the influence of police department cultures: a look into the Belgian context", Journal of Organizational Ethnography, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 98-115. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-02-2021-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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