Intended Date of Award

2023

Degree Name

Doctorate in Management and Public Service (DMPS)

Chair

Professor Kris Norman-Major

Vice-Chair

Professor Craig Waldron

Committee Member

Professor Dawn Irlbeck

Second Committee Member

Professor Maya Barak

Abstract

Deadly encounters between U.S. police and marginalized communities, such as the high-profile deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have resulted in fractured police–community relationships and civil unrest. Elected officials, police executives, and scholars have investigated various strategies to repair these relationships. Efforts to improve public perceptions of law enforcement have frequently focused on procedural justice training and research. Many academic studies and police initiatives have overlooked the perspectives of Latino individuals and communities. This study asks: How do Latinos perceive the police? Do they believe that police treat Latinos and others fairly? Do they consider the police to be a legitimate state institution? To address these questions, this research examines Latino relationships with police in Minneapolis, a city that has experienced significant tension between police and marginalized communities since the 1990s and is home to a large Latino population. By examining these underrepresented perspectives, this study aims to deepen understanding of Latino experiences and interactions with law enforcement and address a significant gap in the existing literature on police–community relations.

This qualitative study, informed by historical context and existing scholarship, seeks to deepen understanding of Latino community members’ perceptions of police in Minneapolis. The primary research questions are: a) What are Latinos’ perceptions of their interactions with police in Minneapolis? and b) How have their experiences in the United States and their countries of origin shaped these views? In-depth interviews were conducted with 33 Latino participants, including Mexican, Ecuadorian, Salvadoran, and Venezuelan immigrants, as well as second-generation Latinos born in the United States.

Three themes emerged: coming to the United States, police at home and abroad, and Latinos’ trust in police in the United States. Law enforcement agencies can build greater trust and cooperation within communities by implementing culturally responsive training and strengthening accountability practices that directly address these themes. Incorporating these insights into targeted reform efforts may support the development of more inclusive policies and stronger community partnerships.

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Download

Share

COinS