European Journal of Policing Studies – Jaargang 2/2 (2014) (ISSN 2034-760x)

Subscription details

Contents:

Introduction
A. Verhage, L. Bisschop, W. Hardyns

Articles

Investigating decision-making mechanisms and biases in Dutch criminal investigation teams by using a serious game
Jelle Groenendaal (1) en Ira Helsloot (2)

Abstract
In this article we examine by means of a serious game how ten teams of police leaders from major criminal investigation teams from five regional forces in the Netherlands, during criminal investiga-tion, deal with tunnel vision and other potential causes of flawed decision-making, described according to Naturalistic Decision-Making models. Findings show that in the serious game, the danger of tunnel vision was widely acknowledged and that a great deal of energy was wasted as a result. In addition, the teams proved susceptible to other types of decision-making pitfalls. For example, the teams searched predominantly for confirmatory evidence, unconsciously used ingrained process-related rules of thumb, and there was evidence of a form of ‘information impulsion fallacy’. The present research is an elaboration on existing literature in that it attempts to shed light on decision-making practices during criminal investigations. The study shows that a serious game can be a useful tool to uncover decision-making behaviour.

Keywords: Criminal investigation teams, decision-making, tunnel vision, naturalistic decision making

(1) Jelle Groenendaal is senior researcher at Crisislab and Ph.D candidate at the Radboud University Nijmegen. His research interests are crisis decision-making and control of front line responders.
(2) Ira Helsloot is professor of the governance of safety at the Radboud University Nijmegen. He is editor of the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management and chair of research foundation Crisislab.

Women as Leaders in Policing: A Path Forward
Maria Koeppel (1)

Abstract
As a result of changing gender dynamics in leadership, a substantial body of literature has been dedicated to understanding differences between leadership styles and effectiveness for men and women, often finding differences between the two groups. Despite this growing body of research, there is still a substantial gap in the leadership and policing literature, specifically regarding women as leaders in policing. This paper provides an overview of the gender leadership literature both in and out of policing, as well as a succinct review of research pertaining to women as leaders in policing. Recommendations for future research are drawn from existing literature in a call for a greater understanding of the role of gender in leadership in policing.

Keywords: policing, leadership, gender

(1) Maria Koeppel received her Ph.D. in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. Her research interests include victimology, gender, and sexual identity. Currently she is working as a research analyst for the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Guardian of Democracy?
Theoretical aspects of police roles and functions in democracy
Samuel Salzborn (1)

Abstract
In the research on democracy and democratization, there is a lack of systematic thought on the relationship between police and democracy. In this paper I argue that it is possible to go beyond empirical and historical research into police roles and functions in real-life political systems, in order to formulate a theoretical framework that outlines the specific relationships between police and democracy. Because the functions of police in democracies are clearly different from those existing under authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, it makes sense to examine these interrelationships more closely. Although the pol