How Police Chiefs View Opioid Use Disorder Interventions
Author Information
Author(s): del Pozo Brandon, Rouhani Saba, Bailey Amelia, Clark M. H., Martins Kaitlin F., Ahmed Fatema Z., Atkins Danielle, Andraka-Christou Barbara
Primary Institution: The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Hypothesis
Framing harm reduction and public health interventions as promoting public safety will generate more support among police chiefs than emphasizing health outcomes.
Conclusion
Support for some interventions for opioid use disorder was greater among US chiefs of police when framed to emphasize positive public safety outcomes.
Supporting Evidence
- Chiefs were more likely to agree that their mission was protecting public safety than protecting public health.
- Chiefs expressed significantly greater support for overdose prevention sites than safe injection sites.
- Senior chiefs were significantly more likely to support syringe service programs than less senior chiefs.
Takeaway
This study found that police chiefs are more likely to support programs that help with drug use if they are described as improving public safety rather than public health.
Methodology
A two-armed survey utilizing a randomized, between-subjects design tested framing-based variance in support among US chiefs of police.
Potential Biases
Potential social desirability bias may have influenced chiefs' responses regarding support for officers in recovery.
Limitations
The study did not sample sheriffs or leaders of large departments, limiting generalizability, and had a lower response rate from Southern Census Bureau region chiefs.
Participant Demographics
Chiefs led agencies serving a mean population of 16,733, with a mean agency size of 32.3 officers, and 61% were from metropolitan areas.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
aOR 1.05; CI 1.01, 1.09; aOR 2.45; CI 1.13, 5.28
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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