May 15, 2004
Dear Respondent:
You have been selected to complete the enclosed survey as part of a study that is a joint venture between the National Latino Peace Officer Association (NLPOA) and researchers from Marquette University and the Police Professionalism Initiative (PPI) housed at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The purpose of this study is to obtain a working knowledge of the experiences of Latino/a officers working in a variety of departments across the United States. While the representation of Latino officers in law enforcement has greatly increased in the last decade, Latino officers remain among the least researched groups of officers working in law enforcement. As a result, we are in the dark regarding the experiences, struggles, and accomplishments of Latino officers.
In order to accomplish the goals of this study, we are asking you to complete the enclosed survey. Your assistance is critical to the study since this is the first study of its kind. The survey asks a series of questions related to your personal background (e.g., family of origin, reason(s) for entering police work), the department (e.g., number of officers employed) for or community (e.g., size) in which you work, and your experience as a member of law enforcement (e.g., recruitment, promotions, relationships with co-workers). If you have received this survey and you are NOT a peace officer or of Hispanic heritage, this survey will not apply to you. We thank you for your time, but ask that you discard this survey.
Your help is essential to the success of this study. To ensure that your responses remain confidential, we ask that you do not include any identifying information on your completed survey. If you have any questions or concerns about this survey or the study as a whole, please feel free to contact me by phone (414-288-3437) or e-mail (meghan.stroshine@marquette.edu). Thank you for your assistance with this research project.
Sincerely,
Meghan S. Stroshine, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Marquette University
Department of Social and Cultural Sciences
PO Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Phone: (414) 288-3437
Fax: (414) 288-6444
e-mail: meghan.stroshine@marquette.edu
National Latino Peace Officer Association Survey
1) In which type of law enforcement agency are you employed?
_____municipal police _____state law enforcement
_____county police _____federal law enforcement
_____sheriff’s department _____Other______________________________ (please specify)
2) Approximately how many sworn officers does your department employ?
____Less than 10 ____51-100 ____251-500 ____1000+
____10-50 ____101-250 ____501-1000
3) In Which state are you employed?
_________________________________
4) What is the size of the community where you work?
____Metropolitan area (50,000+) ____Town (2,000-9,999) ____Small city (10,000- 49,999)
_____Suburban area _____Small town/rural (under 2,000)
5) Regarding the area your department serves, approximately what percentage of the local population is Hispanic/Latino? (For example, if you work for a city department, what percentage of the city is Hispanic/Latino? If you work for a state or county agency, what percentage of that state or county is Hispanic/Latino?)
____Less than 10% ____26-50% ____76% or higher
____10-25% ____51-75% ____Don’t know
6) Approximately what percentage of the department in which you
work is Hispanic/Latino?
____Less than 10% ____26-50% ____76% or higher
____10-25% ____51-75% ____Don’t know
7) Regarding the area your department serves, approximately what percentage of
the population is African American? (For example, if you work for
a city department, what percentage of the city is African American? If you work
for a state or county agency, what percentage of that state or county is African
American?)
____Less than 10% ____26-50% ____76% or higher
____10-25% ____51-75% ____Don’t know
8) Approximately what percentage of the department in which you work is African-American?
____Less than 10% ____26-50% ____76% or higher
____10-25% ____51-75% ____Don’t know
9) What race/ethnicity is your department chief/sheriff/director?
_____Hispanic/Latino _____White/Caucasian
_____African-American/Black _____Native American/American Indian
_____Asian /Pacific Islander _____Other__________(please specify)
10) Has your department ever been the subject of a lawsuit claiming that it has employment practices that discriminate against racial or ethnic minority group members or women?
_____Yes, racial/ethnic minority group members only
_____Yes, women only
_____Yes, both racial/ethnic minority group members and women
_____No
_____Not Sure
11) Does your department have a consent decree with regard to the hiring and promotion of Latinos?
_____Yes, currently _____Had a consent decree in the past but it is now expired
_____No ______Not Sure
12) Does your department take steps specifically directed at recruiting Latinos?
_____Yes _____No _____Not Sure
13) In your opinion, are the efforts made by your department to recruit minority officers adequate?
_____Yes If yes, what are they? _____________________________________________________
_____No If no, why not? ____________________________________________________________
_____Don’t know
14) Does your department have an affirmative action plan?
_____Yes _____No _____Not Sure
15) "Latinos are, in my judgment, adequately represented in my department among the following ranks" (in other words, if 20% of the community is Latino, 20% of those in that rank are Latino): (please check all that apply)
_____Officer _____Those who have specialty assignments (narcotics, traffic, homicide, etc.)
_____Sergeant _____Lieutenant _____Captain _____Deputy Chief
16) "I feel that Latino officers enjoy full opportunity for promotion in my department"
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
17) "With respect to promotions or bids for special assignment, I have been assisted or mentored by superior officers from the following racial or ethnic groups:" (check all that apply)
_____Hispanic/Latino _____White/Caucasian _____African-American/Black
_____Native American/American Indian _____Asian /Pacific Islander
_____Other_________________(please specify) _____Never been assisted or mentored
18) "With respect to promotions or bids for special assignment, I have assisted or mentored junior officers from the following racial or ethnic groups:" (check all that apply)
_____Hispanic/Latino _____White/Caucasian _____African-American/Black
_____Native American/American Indian _____Asian /Pacific Islander
_____Other_________________(please specify) _____Never been assisted or mentored
19) "There is racial/ethnic tension in my department."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
20) "Latino supervisors in my department enjoy the same level of respect and
trust from their Anglo subordinates as do Anglo supervisors."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
21) Which of the following best describes your overall perception of bias
against Latinos in your department over the past few years?
_____There has never been any racial or ethnic bias, now or in the past few years.
_____There is less racial or ethnic bias now than in the past few years
_____There is more racial or ethnic bias now than in the past few years
_____There is about the same amount of racial or ethnic bias now as in the past few years
22) "I feel I have had to work harder than Anglo officers to "prove" myself to other officers or command staff because I am Latino."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
23) "The educational requirements my agency requires for promotion have prevented me from seeking a promotion."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
24) "Anglo officers in my department have expressed/implied that other Latino officers have been promoted because of affirmative action rather than merit."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
25) I have personally felt discriminated against by other officers
because I am Latino.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
26) I have personally felt discriminated against by command staff because I am Latino.
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
27) Inappropriate comments or jokes of a racial or ethnic nature have been made in my presence by: (check all that apply)
____a partner ____an officer on my shift ____an officer from another shift ____a supervisor
28) Have you ever witnessed disrespectful or discourteous treatment toward Latino community members by other officers?
Very frequently frequently somewhat infrequently infrequently never
1 2 3 4 5
29) Have you ever been assigned to work in a Latino neighborhood (when you did not choose to) simply because you are Latino?
_______Yes _________No _______ Not Sure
30) Have you experienced any discrimination, or have you felt any tension from a non-Latino/a partner because you are Latino/a?
_______Yes __________No ________I do not have a patrol partner
31) What race/ethnicity is your immediate supervisor?
_____Hispanic/Latino _____White/Caucasian
_____African-American/Black _____Native American/American Indian
_____Asian /Pacific Islander _____Other___________________(please specify)
32) If your immediate supervisor is not Latino/a, have you experienced any discrimination, or have you felt any tension from your supervisor because you are Latino/a?
Yes _____ No_____ Not Sure______
33) Does your department have a police union?
Yes_____ No_____ Not Sure_____
34) If your department has a police union, are you a dues paying member?
Yes_____ No_____
35) Have you ever held an official position in your department’s police union (president, secretary, executive board member)?
Yes, currently_____ Yes, in the past_____ No, I have never held a position_____
36) "There is racial/ethnic-based tension between the local LPOA and the police union."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
37) "The LPOA is necessary because the local police union doesn’t represent Latino officers’ views and concerns (such as minority promotions, problems of racism and discrimination, or other organizational matters)."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
38) "The LPOA has enhanced Latino officers’ unity and power to affect working conditions in my department."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
39) "Anglo officers and/or command staff in my department feel nervous or threatened by the Latino officers’ unity and power possessed through the LPOA to affect working conditions in the department."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
The following questions refer to the group or groups of police officers you mainly interact with while on duty:
40) When you have a meal on duty or meet at the convenience store for a soda or coffee, do you usually do that with:
_____Other Latino/a officers _____Anglo officers _____A racial/ethnic mix
_____Other racial or ethnic minority officers (African American, Asian, or Native American
officers, etc.)?
41) If you meet other officers after work to "hang out" and just relax, do you usually do that with:
_____Other Latino/a officers _____Anglo officers _____A racial/ethnic mix
_____Other racial or ethnic minority officers (African American, Asian, or Native American
officers, etc.)?
42) "There are "informal" social gatherings or even times at work when Anglo officers are just "hanging out" talking, when I would like to be included, but I get the sense that I am not welcome because I am Latino/a."
Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Not Sure
1 2 3 4 5
Background Characteristics
43) What is your sex? _____Male _____Female
44) What is your age? _____Years
45) How long have you been a sworn officer in the department you work for now?
__________Year(s) __________Months
46) What is your rank?
_____Officer/Patrol _____Sergeant _____Detective _____Master Patrol/Corporal
_____Lieutenant _____Captain _____Deputy Chief ____Chief
47) What shift do you currently work?
____Day ____Afternoon (Swing) ____Night
48) What is the highest level of education you have achieved?
_____High School or GED _____Associate’s degree _____Some graduate work
_____Some College _____Bachelor’s Degree _____Master’s Degree or higher
49) Do you have any family members who are/were police officers? (check all that apply)
_____Parent _____Aunt/Uncle _____Grandparent
_____Sibling _____Cousin _____Other:________________________(please specify)
_____No (no family members are or were police officers)
50) Please rate the following in terms of importance in your decision to become a police officer:
Not Very Important Very Important
Salary, benefits, security 1 2 3 4 5
Giving back to the community 1 2 3 4 5
Helping people 1 2 3 4 5
Fighting crime 1 2 3 4 5
Excitement of job 1 2 3 4 5
Prestige of job 1 2 3 4 5
Family member(s) is/are officer(s) 1 2 3 4 5
Other: (please specify)___________________________________________________________
51) Did you grow up in a predominately Hispanic/Latino community?
______No ______Yes
52) Are you currently a police officer in the city that you grew up in?
______No ______Yes
53) Do you speak Spanish?
____No
____Yes, proficiently (can converse with Spanish-speakers well enough to get by without a translator)
____Yes, fluently (as well as I speak English)
54) From which Spanish-speaking country do your ancestors come?
Please specify ___________________________________________
55) Thinking back to when you were growing up, which of the following best describes the primary occupation of your father? Please circle one of the following options:
Self-employed Employed Outside the Home Other
Farmer, fisher, etc. Manual worker Homemaker
(blue collar, etc.)
Student
Professional (lawyer, Service worker accountant, doctor, etc.) (custodial, food service, Military personal services, etc.)
Other (please list)
Business owner Technical worker ________________ (please list type) (office worker, staff assistant,
________________ nurse, counselor, artist, etc.) Not applicable
father was not in the household during my Executive childhood
(management, superintendent, administrator, etc.) Unemployed
56) Thinking back to when you were growing up, which of the following best describes the primary occupation of your mother? Please circle one of the following options:
Self-employed Employed Outside the Home Other
Farmer, fisher, etc. Manual worker Homemaker
(blue collar, etc.)
Student
Professional (lawyer, Service worker accountant, doctor, etc.) (custodial, food service, Military personal services, etc.)
Other (please list)
Business owner Technical worker ________________
(please list type) (office worker, staff assistant,
________________ (nurse, counselor, artist, etc.) Not applicable
mother was not in the household during my Executive childhood
(management, superintendent, administrator, etc.) Unemployed
57) Were you and/or any of your family members born in a Spanish-speaking country outside the United States? (check all that apply)
____Myself ____Grandparent(s) ____Sibling(s)
____Spouse ____Great-grandparent(s) ____Other:___________
____Parent(s) ____Aunt/Uncle/Cousin (please specify)
58) Is there anything else that you would like to add, maybe something we have forgotten to ask regarding your experiences as a Latino police officer? Is there anything you would like to add regarding the survey? Please feel free to explain below.
______________________________________________________________________________
We sincerely thank you for participating in this important survey!
Fold in half, please provide your name and address and
Mail with two stamps to:
Meghan S. Stroshine, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Marquette University
Department of Social and Cultural Sciences
PO Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53233