Unmasking Perspectives In Blue: A Content Analysis Of Police Union Social Media And Consent Decree Compliance
Location
Poster #7
Department
Justice Studies
Abstract
Police Unions are among the most powerful unions in America. They have the lobbying power to push for pro-police legislation, back pro-police political candidates, and affect the culture, practices, and procedures of departments nationwide. Previous literature has held that traditionally police unions are resistant to consent decrees brought by the Civil Rights Department within the Department of Justice. Most often this resistance comes in the guise of employment law where the Union will argue that the terms of the consent decree impair Officer rights, interests, and abilities as described in preexisting collective bargaining agreements (CBA). Research in this area has yet to be extended to public statements from the police union and analyzed in comparison with the police department’s compliance with, and implementation of, consent decree reform efforts. Through qualitative analysis of social media posts and interviews by the Fraternal Order of Police, publicly available court documents, mainstream media news coverage, and relevant literature this proposed thesis project seeks to explore possible connections between the police union’s public messaging around the Chicago consent decree and the pace of compliance. Results may reflect the CPD’s resistance to change, the odds of the department backsliding after the consent decree is over, and how public perception of the consent decree influences the degree to which the police union commits its officers to changing the culture.
Faculty Sponsor
June Terpstra
Faculty Sponsor
Jackie Campbell
Unmasking Perspectives In Blue: A Content Analysis Of Police Union Social Media And Consent Decree Compliance
Poster #7
Police Unions are among the most powerful unions in America. They have the lobbying power to push for pro-police legislation, back pro-police political candidates, and affect the culture, practices, and procedures of departments nationwide. Previous literature has held that traditionally police unions are resistant to consent decrees brought by the Civil Rights Department within the Department of Justice. Most often this resistance comes in the guise of employment law where the Union will argue that the terms of the consent decree impair Officer rights, interests, and abilities as described in preexisting collective bargaining agreements (CBA). Research in this area has yet to be extended to public statements from the police union and analyzed in comparison with the police department’s compliance with, and implementation of, consent decree reform efforts. Through qualitative analysis of social media posts and interviews by the Fraternal Order of Police, publicly available court documents, mainstream media news coverage, and relevant literature this proposed thesis project seeks to explore possible connections between the police union’s public messaging around the Chicago consent decree and the pace of compliance. Results may reflect the CPD’s resistance to change, the odds of the department backsliding after the consent decree is over, and how public perception of the consent decree influences the degree to which the police union commits its officers to changing the culture.