Culture and well-being among sworn officers: an empirical examination

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to bridge the police culture and the police employee well-being literature by demonstrating significant linkages between the two.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examined the effects of culture on the well-being of officers in one police agency in the western United States during the summer of 2020. Using individual-level data, the authors model the association between officer perceptions of occupational culture and personal well-being for 125 sworn employees.FindingsThe results indicate that, for individual sworn officers, their adherence to elements of culture is related to well-being; specifically, burnout (BO) exhaustion, BO disengagement, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Additionally, the cultural attitudes of administration, and citizens in the population, are both consistent predictors of officer well-being.Originality/valueThis study provides an important linkage between the police culture and police well-being literature, which to date has been given limited attention.