Predictors of patrol officer openness to new ideas for improving police service delivery

Police departments throughout the world have experienced increases in community-police conflict, with associated problems of patrol officers leaving the profession. Finding innovative solutions to these external and internal threats will require openness to new ideas, especially from patrol officers who are on the front line of these challenges. The present study examined predictors for which patrol officers reported the greatest "openness to new ideas" for their police profession. Predictors considered included officer demographics (age, years of service, education), self-perceptions (health concerns, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD), and workplace perceptions (supervisor fairness, peer camaraderie, occupational pride). Hundred and fifty patrol officers completed anonymous surveys from police departments in Istanbul, Turkey (98.0% male; 41.3% with college education; mean age = 26.65 years; mean experience = 4.25 years). Multiple regression analysis revealed that openness to new ideas was significantly associated with the officer having a college education, few PTSD symptoms, and strong perceptions of peer camaraderie and occupational pride. Present results suggest that police departments seeking innovative solutions to their external and internal challenges might look to patrol officers with these characteristics. Additionally, departments could develop conditions that enhance these officer characteristics associated with innovative thinking by offering tuition grants, PTSD counseling services, officer bonding activities, and public celebrations of officers doing exceptional work.