POLICE INTEGRITY LOST

An article entitled A Study of Drug Corruption Arrests was published in the September 2013 issue of Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management. In this study, Phil Stinson and John Liederbach collaborated with Steve Brewer, Hans Schmalzried, Brooke Mathna, and Krista Long. The purpose of the study is to provide empirical data on cases of drug-related police corruption. It identifies and describes incidents in which police officers were arrested for criminal offenses associated with drug-related corruption. Data were analyzed on 221 drug-related arrest cases of officers employed by police agencies throughout the USA. Findings show that drug-related corruption involves a wide range of criminal offenses, and that cocaine is the most prevalent drug. Older officers and those employed by large agencies are less likely than others to lose their jobs after a drug-related arrest.

Phil Stinson and John Liederbach–together with several colleagues–will present findings of two of their recent research studies related to police crime and police integrity at the annual conference of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) in Chicago, IL, on November 15, 2012.

The first presentation, Drunk Driving Cops: A Study of Police Officers Arrested for DUI, 2005-2010, will highlight various predictors of two outcome variables: job loss and criminal case disposition. The study sample consists of data related to 782 DUI cases where 750 sworn officers were arrested during the years 2005-2010. The arrested officers were employed by 511 non-federal state and local law enforcement agencies located in 406 counties and independent cities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The second presentation is entitled CHAID Analysis of Drug-related Police Corruption Arrests. This study analyzed data on 221 drug-related cases where non-federal sworn law enforcement officers were arrested during the years 2005-2007. Findings show that drug-related police corruption involves a wide range of criminal offenses, and cocaine is the most prevalent drug. Older officers is are less likely than younger officers to lose their jobs after a drug-related arrest.

Phil Stinson and John Liederbach are recording a series of podcast audio recordings discussing their research findings resulting from the NIJ-funded research project. The podcasts are available on iTunes and can be accessed by clicking here. New episodes will be posted monthly. The August episode, Police Drug Corruption, discusses findings from their recently completed study on 221 drug-related arrests of 188 sworn law enforcement officers. The September podcast episode is on Officer-involved Domestic Violence.