EL LÍDER ESTÁ LLAMADO A FOMENTAR LA CREATIVIDAD DE SUS SEGUIDORES

A significant benefit attributed to the police oversight system is the constructive influence on police behaviour and conduct. Closely linked to identifying trends in misconduct and recommending changes in policy or training, oversight has a powerful role in shaping the behaviour of police officers when they are carrying out their duties. Participants discussed how from their experience, police officers are aware their conduct is subject to independent oversight and any deviation from the Code of Conduct can result in a complaint being lodged against them, it directly impacts how officers conduct themselves when on the job or dealing with members of the public. Reflecting on the long term impacts that the oversight and complaint system has had on policing, two participants describe how there has been a shift in police behaviour along with the overall culture of policing:

Accountability has gone way up quite frankly where you know maybe ten years ago an officer wouldn't necessarily be making notes on a matter, they will make exhaustive notes now. Whereas a file would have very little in it there might be a whole lot more in there in terms of documentation in terms of covering your butt really, making sure everything is in there where to an excessive amount actually sometimes. But we do it because we don't want to be criticized and I think anytime we are making more notes, anytime we are being more attentive to the details, anytime that we are able to step up and answer people who are asking us to be accountable for something it is a good thing, so I think it has brought up the quality of documentation and investigations (Professional Standards Officer 1)

I see huge benefits in oversight, it changes the culture of policing. They know they are being looked at, they may not like it sometimes, but it really does make officers more open to suggestions, more willing to change (Police Oversight Agency Representative 3)

The level of attention and detail required to document police interactions to ensure continuity in reporting has transformed the policing world. As mentioned by the participant, increased note taking after incidents as increased the level of writing required to ensure that if the event is every brought up in the future, officers will have notes to appropriately reference the situation.

While participants recognized that police oversight has had a constructive impact on the conduct and behaviour of officers, there are unintended consequences of oversight that were also discussed by stakeholders. The constant presence of oversight and potential for members of the public to file complaints has indirectly resulted in a portion of officers afraid to police. While the system is aiming to achieve a high level of accountable policing, two participants describe how the unintended consequence of the current system is a decline in proactive policing:

The motivation satisfaction performance in policing is declining; the proactive portion of policing is dying off. We are turning into fire hall police officers because risk managers are now risk averters. If you check a guy and he claims you broke his phone, the OPCC will investigate you and there is a chance that your career could be on hold while they go to a public inquiry because they just don't like the way that things are going and it's over whether it should be a verbal reprimand or a one day suspension or a three day suspension. That is ridiculous.

Cops are saying I don't want to do anything that is going to cause me issues with my family or my job. They now are not managing risk, they are avoiding it. That should be a public safety concern…You need the policing oversight because you have to hold police officers accountable. I want to hold police officers accountable. I don't want to work with somebody who is not willing to be dedicated, it is dangerous for my house too right. But at the same token, too much and you wind up with the same results. Cops are not taking risks, go get your quota or your kindle or whatever you read and go to your car and then go find a corner and read until you get another call. That is the result, that is what is happening (Police Union Representative 1)

Something that people don't talk very much about, it also has a very negative effect on the police and it has a very deterring, it has an impact on the willingness of individual police officers to engage in proactive policing activities which is what the public wants. So those are some of these unintended consequences that I don't think people pay enough attention too…To respond, to be proactive, to take risks, to protect people, to investigate crimes you're less willing to do that and there does need to be a balance but the balance should be the oversight the policies, the procedures, the training and the auditing of activities that creates the

balance it shouldn't, the balance shouldn't come from the officer trying to mitigate risk on his or her own it should come from the systems they have in place to ensure that the actions and activities are consistent with the law and what societies expectations are but we've at times found ourselves in a place where our systems aren't very strong so officers start to mitigate risk from their own and ultimately it's the public that suffers because they don't get the service that they deserve or expect. (Police Union Representative 2)

In the view of the respondents, the fear of a complaint and its impact on an individual’s career are starting to outweigh the benefits of officers engaging in proactive policing. The level of criticism within the current system as resulted in a portion of officers who think twice before they act and avoiding taking any potential risks that may impact their career. From the police officers interviewed in this study, they believe that this is a serious public safety concern. However, it is important to note that while this may be a minor side effect of the current system, it demonstrates the impact the police complaint and oversight system has on shifting the behaviour of police officers.