Occupational Prestige of Law Enforcement Officers: Quantifying Self and Public Perceptions of Prestige

Katelin M. Alfaro Hudak, Aidan Combs, Robert E. Freeland and Elizabeth A. Mumford

Social Science Quarterly, 2025, vol. 106, issue 4

Abstract: Objective Perceptions of occupational prestige are commonly associated with job satisfaction and job turnover intentions, but little is known about how law enforcement officers (LEOs) view the prestige of policing. We quantify how LEOs rate the prestige of policing and how they think their communities view policing. We evaluate the extent to which LEO understandings of public perceptions match actual public perceptions. Methods We estimated occupational prestige using traditional and multidimensional measures in a nationally representative sample of LEOs. Results Officers view their occupation as more prestigious, morally good, and active, but less powerful than they believe the public sees it. Officers’ understandings of public view of policing are more pessimistic than warranted by the public's actual views. Officers viewed their occupations as less prestigious and believed the public's perceptions of the prestige and “goodness” of policing were significantly lower following the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic and George Floyd's murder. Conclusions Our results highlight the need to study social psychological processes involved in officer self‐perceptions and their understanding of the communities with which they interact.

Date: 2025
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