Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Timothy Gillette

Committee Member

Maria Levi-Minzi

Committee Member

Marcelo Castro

Committee Member

Tammy Kushner

Keywords

civil unrest, communities, COVID-19 pandemic, George Floyd case, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, impact level, jurisdiction, law enforcement, line-of-duty, officer experiences, police-involved deaths, police officers, police perceptions, public opinion, quantitative study, trauma, United States

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the perspectives of police officers who served during the civil unrest of early 2020 to identify potential correlations between participant demographics and their responses. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers intensified national tensions and triggered widespread protests. These tensions compounded challenges for law enforcement, coinciding with a significant rise in officer retirements and resignations. Despite these developments, there has been limited scholarly focus on the voices of police officers. Capturing their experiences may not only provide valuable insight into this period but also offer reassurance to fellow officers who may be silently struggling, affirming that it is acceptable not to be okay.

Participants were recruited from eight law enforcement agencies of varying sizes and geographic locations across the United States. These included agencies with diverse demographic profiles, such as the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (MN), Burke County Sheriff’s Office (GA), Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (GA), Hinds County Sheriff’s Office (MS), Adams County Sheriff’s Office (MS), Hopkins Police Department (MN), Davie Police Department (FL), and the Bloomington Police Department (MN). This study addressed potential barriers and limitations, and it concluded with a discussion of implications for future research.

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