Narcissism in Policing Organizations: What to Look for and How to Correct It

—- > Written by Dr. Michael L. Beshears and Dr. Mark Bond

This paper was presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 54^th Annual Conference, located in Kansas City, Missouri on March 25, 2017.

Abstract

While police officers commonly undergo a pre-employment psychological examination, these screenings do not currently measure tendencies for narcissism.  In addition, there is very little research concerning narcissism in police officers. What should concern leaders is that extreme narcissism prevents people from positive interactions with leaders, peers, and the public. However, narcissists will generally seek professions that allow them to interact with people from a position of authority or superiority, where they have an advantage over people.  Considering that policing affords people with narcissist tendencies such a position, leaders in policing organizations must be cognizant of and discourage this type of behavior in the best interest of their departments and the communities they serve.  Leaders, managers, and especially those working in public safety fields need to be empathetic and caring individuals; they need to show empathy towards the public they serve as well as to the subordinates they lead. These are important personality traits needed to build high-quality community relationships that narcissistic tendencies, if not addressed, will undermine and destroy. READ MORE