Date

3-22-2024

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Jared L Perry

Keywords

law enforcement, early retirement, media, politics

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory has been used extensively in the business field to explain job satisfaction of employees. This study applied Maslow’s theory to law enforcement by examining how the media and political rhetoric is impacting the support officers receive from the communities that they serve as well as the agencies that they work, and how this support is impacting the number of officers leaving the profession. The study sampled law enforcement officers located in western and central North Carolina and involved both large urban agencies and small rural agencies. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) survey was used to determine the rate of burnout and compassion fatigue, while supplemental questions gathered data on decisions made about early retirement. One-on-one interviews were used to explore the reasons officers are leaving the profession as well as the challenges the media and political rhetoric is creating for law enforcement officers using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory as a guide. Survey results discovered both rural and urban agencies had a similar percentage of officers who have contemplated early retirement, but larger agencies had a larger portion who are planning to retire early. Interviews revealed that officers do not believe that media coverage or political rhetoric are directly causing officers to leave. Instead, most officers believe that the fear of negative media coverage and the accompanying political fallout is causing agencies to be more less proactive and less likely to support their officers. Those interviewed report that the resulting lack of trust in their agencies as a primary reason are leaving the profession.

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