Date

4-29-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Marc Weiss

Keywords

Police Whistleblower, Whistleblower Retaliation, Prosocial Behavior, Police Corruption

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Research indicates that two substantial problems arise as a result of retaliation against law enforcement whistleblowers. The first is that up to 10% of whistleblowers attempt suicide, with more contemplating the action (Shepard, 2021). The second problem is that, in law enforcement, the corruption of the investigative authorities involved in such cases represents a significant issue. In the last 5 years, the need for change in law enforcement has grown; one cause of this has been the rising voices of those who have witnessed corruption. Consequently, the aim of this applied quantitative study is to help unravel the problem of retaliation against police whistleblowers for law enforcement agencies and to provide information for a strategic plan to direct agencies to address this problem. Data were collected through a literary review and a quantitative survey seeking results from anonymous law enforcement agents. This study seeks to highlight the continued corruption problem plaguing law enforcement, which is hindered by retaliation against officers who speak up. The study indicated that whistleblower retaliation occurs in law enforcement and is politically motivated as a topic.

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