Are police officers more racist/right-wing than average Americans?

[DanTex]

I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts or knowledge, statistical or anecdotal about this. I haven't had many personal interactions with police officers, and when I have, they've all been cordial. This probably has much to do with the fact that I'm white. But stories like Ferguson really make it seem like police officers are more racist and teabaggerish than the public at large. What do you think is the explanation?

1) Racist/right-wing people are more likely to choose to become police officers.
2) Police officers are about an average cross-section of America, but the job of being a cop brings out latent prejudices.
3) The average American is more racist than I thought.
4) Police officers aren't that racist, it's just some bad individuals/departments that get magnified by the media.

[LannyDeVaney]

1. Yes, here in Alabama ...

nearly every white cop I've ever talked to socially was racist and used the n-word as part of normal conversation.

[madville]

10. Just about every Black and Hispanic cop I have worked around as well

I've worked with 1000's of different cops in my career, regardless of their own race (Black, White, etc), I've heard racist stuff or seen racist attitudes from every possible source. For example, in my experience a black cop will sometimes say much worse things about other African-Americans because somehow we have gotten to the point where they are allowed to, like black people can use the N word but white people can't, same line of thinking.

It's doesn't matter what the cop's race or political leanings or whatever are, the racism is part of overall cop culture.

[samsingh]

2. maybe

[TransitJohn]

3. Every cop that I've ever known personally

Has been conservative, but loves their union.

[hifiguy]

7. No cognitive dissonance there.

No sireebob.

[Hugabear]

4. It would not surprise met at all

I think your #1 point is pretty much spot-on. Right-winger types tend to support authoritarianism.

[The Magistrate]

5. I Think So, Sir

The job draws certain personalities disproportionately, and the work tends to coarsen sensibility.

[lapfog_1]

6. authoritarian mindset

natural to both police and conservatives.

And they view the powerless and poor (politically unconnected) as criminals not citizens.

[hifiguy]

8. Number 1 for the most part, but

I think 2 also plays into it in some cases.

[phylny]

9. I only have anecdotal experience, but my friend's brother was a NYC police officer who is a racist,

Rush Limbaugh-listening, close-minded individual. He routinely uses the "n" word, also hates people on welfare and people who "live off the system."

Oh, did I mention that he was thrown off his horse while on duty and collects full disability? Yup, gotta hate those moochers (I say this because while I'm not a doctor, he doesn't appear too disabled to me).

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Even if they reflect the avg, that's one job where that trait should be filtered out during hiring.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

12. My untested opinion, yes.

Based on these suppositions.

People drawn to being able to use guns are more RW.
People drawn to authoritarianism are more RW.
People who see the current 'justice' system and are willing to spend their time working in it, rather than trying to change it are more RW.

It's a racist system, so wanting to work in it requires an acceptance of institutional racism.

[Dems to Win]

13. Yes. #1 is correct

Ted Rall once wrote a column calling for drafting random people to be police officers.

The people who choose to become police officers are far too often people who like to bully others. So, we need to have a police force made up of people who would NOT choose to be cops!

A lot of validity to his theory, imho.

[gollygee]

14. There seems to be a strong relationship between the police and racism

I think it's partly #1, but also I think as new people come into the police force, they're taught it by their colleagues.