Professional perceptions of law enforcement officers: An examination through the views of retired police officers

The aim of this study is to examine the professional perceptions of law enforcement officers from the perspective of retired police officers. Since police officers' professional perceptions directly affect the quality of service they provide, the findings are expected to make significant contributions to the relevant literature and policymakers. Conducted using a qualitative research design, data were collected through interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 retired police officers using purposive and snowball sampling methods, and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The research findings indicate that both intrinsic motivations, such as the ideal of serving the state, and extrinsic economic factors, such as unemployment and financial concerns, influenced career choice. Participants complained about the inadequacy of legislation; particularly regarding issues related to personal rights such as working hours, additional allowances, overtime pay, and difficulties in transfers. The profession is perceived as more risky and stressful compared to other occupations. In internal organizational problems, the hierarchical and rigid organizational structure stands out, while in field work, the difficulties created by direct interaction with citizens are highlighted. In relations with other institutions, the most fundamental problem is stated to be the lack of coordination and information sharing. Participants emphasized the importance of family and professional support as a coping mechanism for stress, and stated that there has been a positive transformation in the perception of female police officers in recent years, with female personnel demonstrating successful performance despite the challenges in work-life balance.