This study provides an overview of published research on the public image of the police.  The authors prepared the report for the Image and Ethics Subcommittee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  The report covers three aspects of the police image: general perceptions of the police as an organization or institution, perceptions of police outcomes, and perceptions of police processes. Two types of reviews were conducted: a review of published research and a review of archived data sets pertaining to the image of the police held by the public.  The report considers research that reflects on improving the image of police, summarizes the findings, and discusses the implications for future research. 

For access to the full report on the IACP website, click here.