PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF STATE POLICE - AN ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL AND CONTEXTUAL VARIABLES

Research focusing on citizens' perceptions of police has been widespre ad at the local level; however, little attention has been devoted to s tate policing organizations. This focus is particularly interesting co nsidering the enhanced role state police agencies have assumed in rece nt years. This study analyzes categorical and ordered categorical atti tudinal data collected from a statewide sample in the State of Washing ton. Among the findings reported are significant gender differences an d the observation that the number of citations an individual has recei ved affects his or her perceptions of state police.