Organizational Diversity, Peer Influences, and Networks in Policing: Quasi-experimental Evidence from Five Law Enforcement Agencies in the US

Racial discrimination by police is one of the most pressing domestic policy issues of our time. Most literature on officer behavior has focused on how characteristics such as race, gender, age, and experience impact officer decision making. However, less is known about the role peers and networks play in influencing officer behavior. Sociologist Gerard Torrats-Espinosa will conduct research across five U.S. cities to examine how diversity in the workplace, peer influences, and officer networks impact officers’ behavior when they come into contact with citizens. His research will contribute to emerging literature on peer effects and the networked nature of police behavior.