‘Darker shades of brown’ police culture of solidarity, isolation and cynicism attitudes by the South African National Defence Military police officials.
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Date
2020
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Abstract
The study seeks to determine whether a random and representative sample of
all South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Military Police Officials
(MPOs) have attitudes evincing of police culture themes of solidarity, isolation
and cynicism. The study adopted a quantitative approach due to the large number
of the sample and nature of the study based on number of variables. The
research hypotheses required that the study be generalisable to the overall
population of the SANDF MPOs. Sensitivity had to be exercised regarding
systematic biases while selecting the sample mean. In addition, because the
overall purpose of the study required analysis of the sub-group effects among the
overall sample, a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) stratified
sampling design had to be employed in order to adequately measure sub-group
differences. The stratified sampling design required a much larger overall sample
than would have been necessary for testing of hypotheses for the whole
population. Using a survey format, the researcher employed a non-experimental
ex post facto (cross-sectional) design. The study established in general that
SANDF MPOs have attitudes in support of police culture themes of solidarity and
isolation. Although the study did not find attitudes evincing of police culture
cynicism, more than half of the SANDF MPOs evinced attitudes in support of the
police culture theme of cynicism. Statistical significant differences, differences of
kind, and differences of degree, were found in relation to all the categorical
independent variables (that is, SANDF unit, rank, experience, race, gender, and
education). The study is the first of its kind in the world to establish whether
military police officials have attitudes evincing of public police culture themes of
solidarity, isolation and cynicism. The study provides an empirical peek into military police culture but allows for invaluable comparisons (differences and
similarities) between public police culture and military police culture, and
contributes novel knowledge to broader police culture, in general. Keywords-
Police, public police, military police, police domain, policing, culture, police
culture, police culture themes, police culture theme of solidarity, police culture
theme of isolation, police culture theme of cynicism, South Africa, South African
National Defence Force, South African National Defence Force Military Police.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.