Rural V Urban Policing: A Study of Taiwanese Officers' Occupational Attitudes

Abstract

This study examines attitudinal differences between rural and urban police officers in Taiwan. Data used in this research were collected from a rural Taiwanese county, Hualien, and a metropolitan department, Taipei. Officers' occupational attitudes are assessed along four dimensions: group cohesion, citizen cooperation, aggressive enforcement, and order maintenance. The results indicate that, compared to their urban counterparts, rural officers are more likely to show higher levels of group cohesion and favour citizen cooperation. Rural and urban officers, however, do not differ significantly in their attitudes towards aggressive enforcement and order maintenance. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.