Police Discretion and Boredom : What Officers Do When There Is Nothing to Do

Abstract

Police work is boring, involves a substantial amount of “down time,” and can have negative consequences for police officer performance, contributing to occupational stress and turnover. Research argued that workers reduced their boredom by engaging in “none-work” activities. Police officer autonomy, however, provides them the opportunity to reduce their boredom by working in a way that makes their behavior meaningful and interesting. Most policing scholarship has examined officer behavior related to their arrest decisions, use of force, or other interactions with the public. This study used an observational research design in a single police agency to quantitatively examine how an officer’s discretionary decision making can reduce the boredom associated with their down time. Findings indicate that police officers often engage in down-time activity that is expected of them, such as patrolling troubled neighborhoods and backing up other officers. It is suggested that their behavior symbolized real police work in a boring environment.