Exploring the Duration of Police-Citizen Encounters

Modern policing policy and practices emphasize the philosophy of community-oriented policing and the principles of procedural justice to improve police-community relations. Using this theoretical framework, this study examines the duration of police-citizen encounters involving domestic and non-domestic conflicts. A sample of 262 encounters from the systematic social observations in Cincinnati was analysed. The multivariate models show that officers spent less time interacting with the citizens in the lower social class and spent more time on the encounters involving assaults. Community policing specialists spent more time interacting with citizens. Considering citizens' voice is also associated with longer duration. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.