Soldiers as Police Officers/ Police Officers as Soldiers: Role Evolution and Revolution in the United States

Abstract

The military and police professions share a number of common facets, but in spite of surface similarities, the two professions are significantly different. Consequently, the evidence indicating a convergence of primary aspects of the two roles presages an important societal development, with substantial implications on several levels. Thus, this article has several objectives. First, it reviews the evidence indicating role convergence, that is, evidence that significant segments of police operations in the United States have taken on military characteristics; and evidence indicating that many U.S. military initiatives have taken on policing characteristics. Next, using the notion of internal and external role-change “drivers,” it examines how such role shifts occur and considers some political and legal implications of the shift. Third, the article compares the role orientations and job demands of both professions, identifying the important differences inherent in the two roles and presenting an analysis of the occupational implications of role convergence for job holders, job evaluators, and job “clients” (i.e., ordinary citizens). The last section considers the implications of role convergence for role management.