Technology 3.0: Police Officers’ Perceptions Towards Technology Shifts

Abstract

Police units worldwide are going through a three-generational technological shift: from “street” to “screen” to “system” technologies. This paper focuses on how these digital shifts shape police officers’ perceptions. First, concerning the change from “street” to “screen” police, it focuses on how it changes police officers’ perceptions of discretion and burnout. The shift from “screen” to “system” policy focuses on how perceptions towards “screen” technologies shape the receptivity of “system” technologies. We address these questions using a mixed-method approach to analyze Brazilian police officers’ shift from the Military Police to the Environmental Military Police. Findings suggest that changing from “street” to “screen” police reduces burnout and limited discretion among police officers. Moreover, usefulness in achieving professional goals and perceptions of monitoring via “screen” technology predict receptivity to “system” technology. We conclude that street-level bureaucrats’ perceptions of technological shifts are essential to acknowledge when planning and implementing such changes.