Date
1-14-2026
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)
Chair
Kristina Hedgepeth
Keywords
arrest procedures, police decision-making, officer perspectives, criminal justice
Disciplines
Law
Recommended Citation
Ellington, Shanee N., "Officers on Patrol: Perspectives of an Arrest on Past and Present Law Enforcement Officers" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7917.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7917
Abstract
While attempting to apprehend suspects, police officers must contend with complex obstacles arising from the arrest's legal, ethical, and sociopolitical context. Officers had to follow their department’s guidelines while also developing legal procedures when carrying out an arrest. The study focused on how an officer’s perception of arrest decisions and procedures encapsulated challenges and ethical dilemmas. Through a semi-structured interview with twenty respondents, this research explored the implications of arresting behaviors on officers’ professional identity formation and development. The data analysis followed the grounded theory approach, which focused on identifying differences and similarities between former and current officers over time. The research was conducted with law enforcement officers located in Columbus, GA. This qualitative case study is intended to contribute to the current literature on law enforcement decision-making by examining the lived experiences of active and retired law enforcement officers. It was observed that former officers tended to view arrests as an evolution of careers, policies, and public perceptions, while current officers were caught in a constantly changing legal context, community demands, and organizational expectations. Officers explained the intricacies of law enforcement operations, emphasizing the impact of working in law enforcement. In addition, this research added to the existing literature about policing by suggesting changes in policy, training, and mental health assistance. Its conclusions affected law enforcement organizations, offenders, and legislators who were keen on making changes in the criminal justice system and the health of law enforcement officers.
