Perceptions du public face à une intervention policière impliquant l’emploi de la force : analyse des principaux facteurs d’influence
Although the police have the legal power to use coercive force in their law enforcement role, this use of force, whether justified or not, is controversial. Cases of police misconduct regularly making headlines in the media, public perceptions and attitudes towards the police may be affected. Because public opinion is the foundation of police legitimacy, law enforcement organizations have an interest in maintaining positive relationships with the community they serve. The overall objective of this report is therefore to understand the reasons why an individual may perceive acceptable or unacceptable police intervention. The data obtained in this study are from group interviews with students at the University of Montréal. It was thus possible to identify the individual, contextual and situational factors that may affect their perception. In the light of the results, it is possible to observe that the situational factors relating to the context of the intervention and the state of the individual detained are variables of great importance in the evaluation of an intervention. Some contextual factors such as police knowledge, reference patterns and group influence were also considered as variables of interest.
Police Police use of force Police intervention Individual factors Situational factors Contextual factors Public perception