Warrior or guardian? Public perceptions of law enforcement during traffic encounters and domestic disputes

Abstract

While police reform efforts have pushed for the adoption of a guardian mindset over that of a warrior, the public’s perception of these orientations is also relevant. As such, this study sought to use two experimental vignettes (N = 1,143) to understand the conditions that led officers to be viewed as guardians or warriors. Officers in both vignettes were more likely to be viewed as guardians when they provided a friendly and polite demeanor (as opposed to matter-of-fact) and a verbal warning (as opposed to a formal outcome). Additionally, whether the officer was viewed as a warrior or guardian weighed heavily on the perceived fairness of the outcomes. Thus, even with a shift in officer mindset from warrior to guardian, officers may face an uphill battle to be viewed by the public as guardians, especially when the use of formal sanctions is sometimes necessary.