A survey of 152 law enforcement officers in the Rio Grande Valley presents an encouraging picture of professional pride and community partnerships. The UTRGV research project also highlights a connection worth further examination: officers who viewed their departments as more engaged with the community reported searching less for jobs.
The study examines officers’ experiences with their work, their departments, and the communities they serve. Its findings provide local agencies with information about strengths to build on and questions that warrant closer attention.
Professional pride stood out. Among officers who answered the question, 76.4 percent agreed that being a law enforcement officer often makes them proud. In a separate question, 84.9 percent said they take pride in their work. Nearly 60 percent said being an officer often makes them feel fulfilled, and 72.6 percent described their job as enjoyable.
The survey also found that 82.3 percent remained willing to continue working in a law enforcement career. This is encouraging for agencies interested in supporting their workforce, although commitment to the profession does not necessarily mean an officer will stay with the same department.
More than half of respondents (55.3 percent) also agreed that most people in the neighborhoods where they work respect the police. Another 34.2 percent responded neutrally. Together, nearly 90 percent expressed positive or neutral views on this question, indicating that relatively few participating officers perceived a lack of respect from the communities they serve. These responses reflect officers’ views of their communities; residents’ own experiences would provide another important perspective.
Officers’ responses highlighted several strengths in community engagement. About two-thirds (65.8 percent) said their departments cultivate close relationships with the local community. Another 57.3 percent said their departments collaborate closely with the community to address local issues, and 53.9 percent said their departments make it easy for community members to provide input.
The survey analysis found that stronger perceived community policing was associated with less reported job searching, even after controlling for officers’ demographic and occupational backgrounds. The results suggest that community partnerships merit attention in discussions of officers’ work experience and workforce stability.
The findings provide a practical rationale for supporting research partnerships between local agencies and UTRGV. Surveys can help departments understand how officers experience community engagement, identify areas for further work, and ask more focused questions about what supports a rewarding career in law enforcement.
Future research could expand participation and follow officers over time. Tracking officers over time would also help researchers examine whether changes in community relationships are associated with officers’ work experiences and decisions to remain with their departments. Moreover, this research and report describe officers’ perspectives, and future studies could collect data from residents; their experiences would provide another important perspective. Residents could share their experiences with officers, concerns about neighborhood safety, and views on how departments respond to community needs. This information could help local agencies improve communication and better serve their communities. Together, these efforts could provide useful evidence to support community programs and officers.
This survey offers a snapshot of participating officers rather than a representative estimate for all officers in the Valley. The number of respondents varied by question, and percentages exclude unanswered items. The study identifies associations rather than demonstrating that community policing prevents departures. Even with these limitations, the responses highlight encouraging strengths that local agencies, community members, and researchers can explore together.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was jointly penned by professors Yudu Li and Marika Dawkins. Dr. Li, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at UT-Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Dawkins, Ph.D., is a professor and associate chair in the Department of Criminal Justice at UT-Rio Grande Valley. The column appears in the Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the authors.
