Are they woke? Understanding the experiences of Black police officers

Waight, Cherese E

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121394 Copy

Description

Title

Are they woke? Understanding the experiences of Black police officers

Author(s)

Waight, Cherese E

Issue Date

2023-05-25

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Neville, Helen A

Committee Member(s)

• Cha-Jua, Sundiata
• Schlosser, Michael

Department of Study

Educational Psychology

Discipline

Educational Psychology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• woke
• police brutality
• Black Lives Matter

Abstract

Over the past two decades there has been an increase in the number of Black Americans becoming police officers. Using a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis design, I investigated the beliefs and practices of Black police officers who completed law enforcement training at a police academy in the Midwest. Specifically, I explored the experiences of Black police officers in the wake of Black Lives Matter. I conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 10 Black police officers. At the core of participants’ experiences was a desire to create a change in the system through community-based policing. I also identified additional processes related to their experiences, including grappling with their multiple identities, coping with stress and trauma, and working to mend community police relations. I outline limitations of the study and implications for future research.

Graduation Semester

2023-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 Cherese Waight

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