Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Policing the Lesbian and Gay Community: The Perceptions of Lesbian and Gay Police Officers

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of LGBT Communities, Crime, and Justice

Abstract

This exploratory research conducted in the U.S. examines the workplace views and shared perceptions of lesbian and gay police officers about community policing. Using survey responses from 134 officers and 3 focus group sessions, advantages and disadvantages are identified for lesbian and gay officers and the communities and departments they service. While representative community policing is valued, officers report that cultural competence for officers and good police skills—regardless of sexual orientation—are the most important factors for being an effective officer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alpert, G. P., Flynn, D., & Piquero, A. R. (2001). Effective community policing performance measures. Justice Research and Policy, 3(2), 79–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alex, N. (1969). Black in blue: A study of the Negro policeman. New York, NY: Appleton-Century Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashforth, B. E., & Humphrey, R. H. (1993). Emotional labor in service roles: The influence of identity. Academy of Management Review, 18(1), 88–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A. B., & Heuven, E. (2006). Emotional dissonance, burnout, and in-role performance among nurses and police officers. International Journal of Stress Management, 13(4), 423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belkin, A., & McNichol, J. (2002). Pink and blue: Outcomes associated with the integration of open gay and lesbian personnel in the San Diego Police Department. Police Quarterly, 5(1), 63–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, M., & Kostelac, C. (2002). Lavender and blue: Attitudes about homosexuality and behavior toward lesbians and gay men among police officers. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 18(3), 302–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, K, Jr. (2003). Shared perceptions: Black officers discuss continuing barriers in policing. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 26(3), 386–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury, M. D. (2004). Un-packing the theory of representative bureaucracy. Retrieved May 1, 2013, from http://athenaeum.libs.uga.edu/handle/10724/7349

  • Buhrke, R. (1996). A matter of justice: Lesbians and gay men in law enforcement. New York, NY: Routledge Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, E. A., Egloff, B., Wlhelm, F. H., Smith, N. C., Erickson, E. A., & Gross, J. J. (2003). The social consequences of expressive suppression. Emotion, 3(1), 48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colvin, R. (2009). Shared perceptions among lesbian and gay police officers: Barriers and opportunities in the law enforcement work environment. Police Quarterly, 12(1), 86–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colvin, R. A. (2012). Gay and lesbian cops: Diversity and effective policing. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Comstock, G. D. (1989). Victims of anti-gay/lesbian violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 4(1), 101–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, J. (1992, May). Identifying acute post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in disaster victims and emergency responders. San Diego, CA: Disaster Management Training Seminar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, D., & Weiss, D. M. (2009). Advancing community policing through community governance: A framework document. U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Community Oriented Policing Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edgar, K., & Martin, C. (2004). Perceptions of race and conflict: Perspectives of minority ethnic prisoners and of prison officers. Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edgell, P., Gerteis, J., & Hartmann, D. (2006). Atheists as “other”: Moral boundaries and cultural membership in American society. American Sociological Review, 71(2), 211–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Ghobashy, T. (2011). Minorities gain in NYPD ranks. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 23, 2011 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704415104576066302323002420.html

  • Essed, P. (1991). Understanding everyday racism: An interdisciplinary theory. Newbury, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fielding, N., & Innes, M. (2006). Reassurance policing, community policing and measuring police performance. Policing and Society, 16(2), 127–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fretz, B. R. (1975). Assessing attitudes towards sexual behaviors. The Counseling Psychologist, 5(1), 100–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glomb, T. M., & Tews, M. J. (2004). Emotional labor: A conceptualization and scale development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 64(1), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassell, K. D., & Brandl, S. G. (2009). An examination of the workplace experiences of police patrol officers: The role of race, sex, and sexual orientation. Police Quarterly, 12(4), 408–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (1998). Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. Newbury, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2000). The psychology of sexual prejudice. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(1), 19–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2003). Evaluating interventions to alter sexual orientation: Methodological and ethical considerations. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32(5), 438–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2004). Beyond “homophobia”: Thinking about sexual prejudice and stigma in the twenty-first century. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1(2), 6–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2009). Sexual stigma and sexual prejudice in the United States: A conceptual framework. In D. A. Hope (Ed.), Contemporary perspectives on lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities (pp. 65–111). New York, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M., Jobe, J. B., & Carney, R. M. (Eds.). (1996). Out in force: Sexual orientation and the military. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. R. (2003). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling, with a new afterword. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holder, K. A., Nee, C., & Ellis, T. (2000). Triple jeopardy: Black and Asian women police officers’ experiences of discrimination. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 3(1), 68–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeromski, A. (2012). Yancey holds explosive hearing on lack of racial diversity in city of Boston departments; Few people of color in top spots. Open Media Boston. Retrieved May, 2012, from http://openmediaboston.org/node/2474

  • Kasdan, A. (2006). Increasing diversity in police departments: Strategies and tools for human rights commissions and others. Human Rights Commissions and Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.hks.harvard.edu/var/ezp_site/storage/fckeditor/file/pdfs/centers-programs/programs/criminal-justice/ExecSessionHumanRights/increasing_police_diversity.pdf

  • Kerley, K. R., & Benson, M. L. (2000). Does community-oriented policing help build stronger communities? Police Quarterly, 3(1), 46–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, P. (1996). Lessons learned from the experience of domestic police and fire departments. In G. M. Herek, J. B. Jobe, & R. M. Carney (Eds.), Out in force: Sexual orientation and the military (pp. 157–176). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kruml, S. M., & Geddes, D. (2000). Exploring the dimensions of emotional labor: The heart of Hochschild’s work. Management Communication Quarterly, 14(1), 8–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurki, L. (2000). Restorative and community justice in the United States. Crime and Justice, 22(1), 235–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinen, S. (2012). Black police, white society. New York, NY: NYU Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinen, S. H. (1993). Gay cops. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, G. (2006). Who knows gay people and what impact does it have on attitudes toward homosexuality and gay rights. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombardo, R. M., Olson, D., & Staton, M. (2010). The Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy: A reassessment of the CAPS program. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 33(4), 586–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, V. B., & Friday, P. C. (2008). What really influences officer attitudes toward COP? The importance of context. Police Quarterly, 11(2), 220–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, P. M., DeValve, M. J., & Garner, R. L. (2008). Texas police chiefs’ attitudes toward gay and lesbian police officers. Police Quarterly, 11(1), 102–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCluskey, C. (2004). Diversity in policing. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 2(3), 67–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. L., Forest, K. B., & Jurik, N. C. (2003). Diversity in blue: Lesbian and gay police officers in a masculine occupation. Men and Masculinities, 5(4), 355–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mike, S., & Childs, P. (Eds.). (2002). British cultural identities. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, D. B. (1992). Contemporary police practices in domestic violence cases: Arresting the abuser: Is it enough? The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 83(1), 241–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moskos, P. (2008). Cop in the Hood. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, K. A., Forest, K. B., & Miller, S. L. (2004). Officer friendly and the tough cop: Gays and lesbians navigate homophobia and policing. Journal of Homosexuality, 47(1), 17–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niederhoffer, A. (1967). Behind the shield: The police in urban society (pp. 103–151). New York, NY: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards, J. M., & Gross, J. J. (1999). Composure at any cost? The cognitive consequences of emotion suppression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25(8), 1033–1044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, J. M., & Gross, J. J. (2000). Emotion regulation and memory: The cognitive costs of keeping one’s cool. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(3), 410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rydberg, J., & Terrill, W. (2010). The effect of higher education on police behavior. Police Quarterly, 13(1), 92–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, J. D., Duffee, D. E., & Renauer, B. C. (2003). Measuring police-community coproduction: The utility of community policing case studies. Police Quarterly, 6(4), 410–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sege, A. (2012). Police to overhaul ranking system. The Globe. Retreived on May 1, 2013, from http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/08/09/boston_police_department_planning_new_promotion_system_to_spur_diversity/

  • Sklansky, D. A. (2006). Not your father’s police department: Making sense of the new demographics of law enforcement. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 96(3), 1209–1243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torres, M. S., & Stefkovich, J. A. (2009). Demographics and police involvement implications for student civil liberties and just leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 45(3), 450–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trojanowicz, R. C., & Bucqueroux, B. (1990). Community policing: A contemporary perspective. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). 2010 Census Data. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://2010.census.gov/2010census

  • U.S. Department of Justice. (2009). Law Enforcement Recruitment Toolkit: COPS/IACP leadership project. Retrieved May 1, 2013, from http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/vets-to-cops/e080921223-RecruitmentToolkit.pdf.

  • U.S. Department of Justice. (2010). About Crime in the U.S. (CIUS). Retrieved July 1, 2012 from http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2011/index.html

  • Weisburd, D., Greenspan, R., Hamilton, E. E., Bryant, K. A., & Williams, H. (2001). The abuse of police authority: A national study of police officers’ attitudes. Washington, DC: Police Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weitzer, R., & Tuch, S. A. (2005). Racially biased policing: Determinants of citizen perceptions. Social Forces, 83(3), 1009–1030.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, R. D., & Perrone, S. (2005). Crime and social control: An introduction. Australia and New Zealand: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, M. L., & Robinson, A. L. (2004). Problems and prospects with policing the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in Wales. Policing and Society, 14(3), 213–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J., Dalton, E., Scheer, C. & Grammich, C. A. (2009). Police recruitment and retention for the new millennium: The state of knowledge. Center on Quality Policing, RAND: CA. Retrieved on May 1, 2013, from http://cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/101027321_Police-RecruitmentRetention.pdf

  • Zapf, D. (2002). Emotion work and psychological well-being: A review of the literature and some conceptual considerations. Human Resource Management Review, 12, 237–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge and thank the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) and Law Enforcement Gays and Lesbians International (LEGAL) for providing access to officers at the annual conference, and to the three focus groups who met with me to discuss the lives of police officers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Management, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, 524 West 59th Street, New York, NY, 10019, USA

    Roddrick Colvin

Authors
  1. Roddrick Colvin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roddrick Colvin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA

    Dana Peterson

  2. School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA

    Vanessa R. Panfil

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Colvin, R. (2014). Policing the Lesbian and Gay Community: The Perceptions of Lesbian and Gay Police Officers. In: Peterson, D., Panfil, V. (eds) Handbook of LGBT Communities, Crime, and Justice. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9188-0_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation