Collective bargaining in law enforcement : a survey of Mahoning County, State of Ohio militancy or moderation

Abstract

This study consists of an extensive literature review regarding the collective bargaining process in police agencies. From this review it can be concluded that police officers have attempted to achieve basic economic goals by affiliating with labor unions or other associations. Review of the literature also indicates that two factors; a large influx of younger officers in the police agencies coupled with the public demonstrations and riots during the sixties might have created militancy within the police ranks for better work conditions and economic rewards.

In this study an attitudinal survey of the six largest law enforcement agencies in Mahoning County has been conducted. The employees of these law enforcement agencies are represented by the Fraternal Order of Police. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using the Chi-square test. The conclusion drawn from this survey indicates that police militancy does exist, and there is no significant relationship between age or the amount of the formal education.