Hi Will,

The approach to groups outside of the university or research community is always to be approached with care...as you know.  If you know someone who already collaborates with the police department, that would be your best "in"....People tend to trust those they have positive experience with.  Perhaps you have a criminal justice program at your university (indeed you might be in that program) and there should be several people on faculty with just such a set of positive experiences with law enforcement....employ them for an introduction.  Of course, be well-prepared with your proposal and have it fully fleshed out when you go to them. Good luck...sounds interesting.

Jack

What are you prepared to offer as "trading beads?"  Distrust of outsiders is, of course, the usual barrier.  On the other hand, introduction by "insiders" carries with it the baggage of your contact(s) with respect to the networks on the inside.  How distressed about this matter is the local department? If you find that the local department is distressed about this matter, perhaps offering to share your "clinical" understanding(s) of the processes and forces contributing to suicide could make them less wary of your proposition to "study" them.  All of these considerations of course are shaped by the local context of police-community relations, not to mention the glare, and the penumbra surrounding the current mass media focus.  So again, without knowing anything about you and your connections to your targeted department, rather than having a fully fleshed-out proposal, as a skilled researcher I'd perhaps offer to share what you might learn, that is, if you can get through the door to have a conversation with them.

 Dear Mr. Warner,

With my experience being a serving police officer in India (member of Indian Police Service since 1997) and a researcher, I think for getting research feedback from police personnel, first identify the locale of you study and then contact senior police officer posted there after taking his appointment for explaining broad objectives of your research proposal. It is further advisable to get his feedback to incorporate in your project if possible. You may share your questionnaire or research schedule with him before finalization. Purpose is to win confidence that research is designed to yield benefit to police at large.

To my understanding, any police official may participate in research as respondent only when the competent police authority give permission. So please seek permission to conduct research having response from police personnel. 

Also try to identify a police officer who has academic bent of mind who may be of great help in breaking the ice and to introduce you to the police officer of the area. If your academic institution permit you may think to have police officer as a co-supervisor for your research project. This step may give you better penetration into your subjects for getting 'real feedback'.  

Further  I suggest don't give impression that research is meant for fault finding because uniform service in general are apprehensive of their public image. 

Any further clarification if required, feel free to interact.

All the very best...

Regards.....

This is a very sensitive topic. Psychological injuries which can be attributed to the workplace would be covered by work health safety legislation and Police organisations don't want to be seen as maintaining a harmful workplace as culpability follows. I agree with G.K Goswami, a fault finding exercise is considered very harmful to public institutions as the value of public institutions is in the public confidence and legitimacy given to them. The AIC link talks about the health safety and welfare of police in Australia. I've also attached an OS article from an Australian news site about Police suicide.

http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi197.pdf

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-03/verity-our-shameful-silence-on-police-suicide/5294142

The University of Regina in Canada just released such a study a few days ago.  While Canadian, the report might be helpful in looking at avenues into that area.  Perhaps even contacting the principle researcher direct.

http://www.uregina.ca/external/communications/feature-stories/current/2016/08-302.html

https://behindtheredserge.ca/2016/08/30/university-of-regina-paper-reveals-more-help-needed-for-first-responders-suffering-from-ptsd-and-other-traumas/

http://www.justiceandsafety.ca/rsu_docs/blue_paper_full_web_final_production_aug_16_2016.pdf

Some "big city" police departments offer mental health services to officers involved in shootings.  That is, when you have to shoot someone, it's very stressful, as are the after effects. While I suspect that all departments recognize this fact- some "big city" departments have the resources to offer counseling services.  I would find that person and tell them what you're working on.  While you may get a few "I can't discuss because of HIPAA" replies, you may find one who is willing to pass your interview request on to individual officers and inquire as to whether they'd be willing to speak with you. The problem, I suppose, is that this could skew your results (i.e., the officers who say "no" may be a different psychological group as compared to those who say "yes." - but that's a question to ask someone who knows about study groups).

Depending on your jurisdiction, if they have and Scientific Department like LAPD or LASD, here in California an office who is involved in an officer involved shooting has to be cleared by a clinician before returning to duty.  Contact the Chief or one higher up the "food chain" that is receptive to assistance in their department, if you have did any volunteer work with them go to that person and tell them what you would like to do, put yourself out there select an agency that is receptive or is in need of what you are offering and go for it.  email me @ [email protected] if you need additional assistance, I still have a few connections out here in CA that may have connections where you are.

As a former police officer and head of a police union (or "association" as some states prefer to call them), I believe you would be well served to contact some of your local police unions.  They typically can survey or ask their membership for volunteers for research topics.  The union officials are not typically bound by the same bureaucratic process as the actual law enforcement agencies.  Typically, police unions are trying to advocate for officers' rights and your study seems like something that would be beneficial with the current push for law enforcement agencies to take better care of their officers.  The biggest issue you may face from agencies is the concept of letting an "outsider" (non-law enforcement person, to which I am assuming you are) have the keys to the proverbial kingdom.  Again, police unions can provide just a reliable population sample without the red tape of having to dealing with an actual government agency.

 Totally agree

Larger Law enforcement agencies have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help their workers. It is often operated through HR. You might find some help there. Some larger department employ a staff psychologist. This individual helps during the hiring process. Any research has to be approved by the agency head. I was a cop for 30 years. Have you IRB approval prior to going and seeing these people. Glenn is right, some departments are not real keen on outsiders digging into their affairs without something to give the the organization. 

Etter is correct, some, like LAPD & LASD have their own psychologist on contract for dealing with officer involved shootings and all agencies, at least in CA mandate their officers to be cleared by a psychologist prior to returning to duty.  You may want to go through a council member of your city, or go to your local community college that offers criminal justice and make contact with the Department Chair and see if there are any sworn officers or retired officers that teach and reach out to them? Just  suggestion.

Thanks for this debate. We are just working on some tips in order to interview police officers and this has been very useful!!!

Evening Rut,

There is quite a lot of interest in this area currently. That said I'd be happy to introduce you to either the Scottish Police Federation or Association of Scottish Police Superintendents - between them they have approximately 17,000 serving police officers as members. Let me know your thoughts.

Cheers,

Martin

It depends, are you trying to do quantitative or qualitative research? I did research with a colleague of mine and he was former police chief. He was able to gain access that way. If you want to do qualitative you can approach some officers, if you know any, and then do a snowball sample.

Thank you Martin and Vesna for your replies (and offer).

In our case, is a qualitative research in the frame of PERCEPTIONS PROJECT https://www.researchgate.net/project/PERCEPTIONS-Understand-the-impact-of-novel-technologies-and-social-media-on-perceptions-of-Europe-in-countries-abroad

Our need was to approach law enforcement officers with direct contact with migrants and we chose to use both options: contacts in the police that would lead us to the departments involved in border controls and official letters/email explaining the project to particular teams.

Both strategies were successful and we manage to meet and interview the people we required.

BR,

Rut

YO. TENGO ACCESO DIRECTO