Exploring the Direct and Indirect Linkages Between Supervisory Disrespect and Officer Cooperation and Disrespect in Policing

Although recent studies have found that organizational justice is instrumental in promoting beneficial outcomes within police agencies, relatively little is known about how organizational injustice may be linked to police officers’ occupational attitudes and behaviors. We propose a theoretical framework linking disrespectful supervisors directly to officers’ willingness to cooperate with supervisors and treat citizens with respect and indirectly through occupational stress, organizational commitment, and organizational identification. Based on survey data collected from 584 police officers in Taiwan, we tested the proposed direct and indirect relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) approaches. We found that having disrespectful supervisors directly lowers officers’ willingness to work with supervisors. The relationship between disrespectful supervisors and disrespectful officers is largely indirect, mediated by occupational stress, organizational commitment, and organizational identification. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.