Police legitimacy

Police legitimacy is the extent to which members of the public view the police as legitimate, often measured in terms of the public's willingness to obey and cooperate with the police. Police legitimacy is linked to the degree of public support for, and cooperation with, the police's efforts to fight crime. If police lose their legitimacy, it can compromise their ability and authority to work effectively. 
People who experience more procedural justice in police encounters view the police as more legitimate. In contrast, order maintenance policing and widespread street stops appear to reduce police legitimacy among young men.