{"id":{"repo_id":"royalroads","oai_identifier":"oai:null:10613/28206"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/royalroads/oai:null:10613/28206","repository":{"repo_id":"royalroads","name":"Royal Roads University","base_url":"https://www.viurrspace.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Police Officer Perceptions of Diversity-Focused Recruitment in Ontario, Canada","abstract":"This study was designed to bring about an understanding of police officer perceptions of diversity-focused recruitment in Ontario, Canada. Though the need to have police services that are reflective of the communities they serve has been legislated for decades, all of Ontario’s police services fall short in various respects and to various degrees. This study aims to improve professional practice by examining the perceptions of a small group of officers surrounding diversity-focused recruitment and its various permutations. Throughout the province’s numerous police services, officers are in key positions to influence the recruitment, selection, and retention of diverse candidates into their ranks, therefore an understanding of how they perceive this phenomenon is essential. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study drew on semi-structured interview data from a convenience sample of 15 police officers serving in nine different police services in Ontario. They represent a variety of demographics, levels of policing experience, and areas worked in policing. This study was theoretically guided by standpoint and intersectional frameworks. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis and produced themes and recommendations for improved practice. Data analysis led to the emergence of six main themes that focused on participants’ perceptions which ranged from positive and optimistic to cautious or negative regarding diversity recruitment. The participants’ perceptions are captured in their narratives, which are presented in the form of extensive direct quotations. Positive perceptions primarily pointed to the ability for diversity-focused recruitment targeted groups to connect with their peers and community to achieve some diversity-related goals in the policing profession. Negative perceptions focused on fears that these type of recruitment strategies may lead to a lowered hiring standard which places diversity recruitment above what some describe as objective, non-diversity-focused metrics of competence. The intersecting identity/demographic analysis of the participants gave no indication that diverse or non-diverse officers feel a particular way about the concept. The perceptions gathered from this small but in-depth sample indicate that there is much work to be done within Ontario police services to create an understanding of the philosophy and methods behind their diversity recruitment strategies. The sample group of this study represents possible actors within their organizations’ recruitment team (i.e. though only some officers in the sample have worked in a recruitment branch, all have potential to end up as recruiters, selectors, coaches, etc.), and the definite end users/coworkers of the candidates who are hired in the current recruitment climate. This study can be used by police services to better strategize diversity-focused recruitment and to create better EDI/recruitment buy-in internally. Scholars can use this study to dig deeper into the perceptions officers have of diversity-focused recruitment and the role of perception influence on diversity recruitment in policing. Key Words: Police Diversity Recruitment, Intersectionality Theory, Standpoint Theory, Police Officer Perceptions, Ontario Police Diversity-focused Recruitment","abstract_html":"This study was designed to bring about an understanding of police officer perceptions of diversity-focused recruitment in Ontario, Canada. Though the need to have police services that are reflective of the communities they serve has been legislated for decades, all of Ontario’s police services fall short in various respects and to various degrees. This study aims to improve professional practice by examining the perceptions of a small group of officers surrounding diversity-focused recruitment and its various permutations. Throughout the province’s numerous police services, officers are in key positions to influence the recruitment, selection, and retention of diverse candidates into their ranks, therefore an understanding of how they perceive this phenomenon is essential. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study drew on semi-structured interview data from a convenience sample of 15 police officers serving in nine different police services in Ontario. They represent a variety of demographics, levels of policing experience, and areas worked in policing. This study was theoretically guided by standpoint and intersectional frameworks. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis and produced themes and recommendations for improved practice. Data analysis led to the emergence of six main themes that focused on participants’ perceptions which ranged from positive and optimistic to cautious or negative regarding diversity recruitment. The participants’ perceptions are captured in their narratives, which are presented in the form of extensive direct quotations. Positive perceptions primarily pointed to the ability for diversity-focused recruitment targeted groups to connect with their peers and community to achieve some diversity-related goals in the policing profession. Negative perceptions focused on fears that these type of recruitment strategies may lead to a lowered hiring standard which places diversity recruitment above what some describe as objective, non-diversity-focused metrics of competence. The intersecting identity/demographic analysis of the participants gave no indication that diverse or non-diverse officers feel a particular way about the concept. The perceptions gathered from this small but in-depth sample indicate that there is much work to be done within Ontario police services to create an understanding of the philosophy and methods behind their diversity recruitment strategies. The sample group of this study represents possible actors within their organizations’ recruitment team (i.e. though only some officers in the sample have worked in a recruitment branch, all have potential to end up as recruiters, selectors, coaches, etc.), and the definite end users/coworkers of the candidates who are hired in the current recruitment climate. This study can be used by police services to better strategize diversity-focused recruitment and to create better EDI/recruitment buy-in internally. Scholars can use this study to dig deeper into the perceptions officers have of diversity-focused recruitment and the role of perception influence on diversity recruitment in policing. Key Words: Police Diversity Recruitment, Intersectionality Theory, Standpoint Theory, Police Officer Perceptions, Ontario Police Diversity-focused Recruitment","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Boynton, Eric"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["heinz, matthew"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024","date_published":"2024","updated_at":"2026-07-27T20:47:44Z","subjects":["College of interdisciplinary studies"],"languages":["en_US"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19815"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19815","href":"https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19815","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10613/28206","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["heinz, matthew"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Boynton, Eric"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-11-06T17:01:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-11-06T17:01:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["College of interdisciplinary studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_US"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10613/28206","https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19815"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["2024"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study was designed to bring about an understanding of police officer perceptions of diversity-focused recruitment in Ontario, Canada. Though the need to have police services that are reflective of the communities they serve has been legislated for decades, all of Ontario’s police services fall short in various respects and to various degrees. This study aims to improve professional practice by examining the perceptions of a small group of officers surrounding diversity-focused recruitment and its various permutations. Throughout the province’s numerous police services, officers are in key positions to influence the recruitment, selection, and retention of diverse candidates into their ranks, therefore an understanding of how they perceive this phenomenon is essential. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study drew on semi-structured interview data from a convenience sample of 15 police officers serving in nine different police services in Ontario. They represent a variety of demographics, levels of policing experience, and areas worked in policing. This study was theoretically guided by standpoint and intersectional frameworks. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis and produced themes and recommendations for improved practice. Data analysis led to the emergence of six main themes that focused on participants’ perceptions which ranged from positive and optimistic to cautious or negative regarding diversity recruitment. The participants’ perceptions are captured in their narratives, which are presented in the form of extensive direct quotations. Positive perceptions primarily pointed to the ability for diversity-focused recruitment targeted groups to connect with their peers and community to achieve some diversity-related goals in the policing profession. Negative perceptions focused on fears that these type of recruitment strategies may lead to a lowered hiring standard which places diversity recruitment above what some describe as objective, non-diversity-focused metrics of competence. The intersecting identity/demographic analysis of the participants gave no indication that diverse or non-diverse officers feel a particular way about the concept. The perceptions gathered from this small but in-depth sample indicate that there is much work to be done within Ontario police services to create an understanding of the philosophy and methods behind their diversity recruitment strategies. The sample group of this study represents possible actors within their organizations’ recruitment team (i.e. though only some officers in the sample have worked in a recruitment branch, all have potential to end up as recruiters, selectors, coaches, etc.), and the definite end users/coworkers of the candidates who are hired in the current recruitment climate. This study can be used by police services to better strategize diversity-focused recruitment and to create better EDI/recruitment buy-in internally. Scholars can use this study to dig deeper into the perceptions officers have of diversity-focused recruitment and the role of perception influence on diversity recruitment in policing. Key Words: Police Diversity Recruitment, Intersectionality Theory, Standpoint Theory, Police Officer Perceptions, Ontario Police Diversity-focused Recruitment"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Police Officer Perceptions of Diversity-Focused Recruitment in Ontario, Canada"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["heinz, matthew"],"dc:creator":["Boynton, Eric"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-11-06T17:01:32Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-11-06T17:01:32Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024"],"dc:description":["2024"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study was designed to bring about an understanding of police officer perceptions of diversity-focused recruitment in Ontario, Canada. Though the need to have police services that are reflective of the communities they serve has been legislated for decades, all of Ontario’s police services fall short in various respects and to various degrees. This study aims to improve professional practice by examining the perceptions of a small group of officers surrounding diversity-focused recruitment and its various permutations. Throughout the province’s numerous police services, officers are in key positions to influence the recruitment, selection, and retention of diverse candidates into their ranks, therefore an understanding of how they perceive this phenomenon is essential. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study drew on semi-structured interview data from a convenience sample of 15 police officers serving in nine different police services in Ontario. They represent a variety of demographics, levels of policing experience, and areas worked in policing. This study was theoretically guided by standpoint and intersectional frameworks. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis and produced themes and recommendations for improved practice. Data analysis led to the emergence of six main themes that focused on participants’ perceptions which ranged from positive and optimistic to cautious or negative regarding diversity recruitment. The participants’ perceptions are captured in their narratives, which are presented in the form of extensive direct quotations. Positive perceptions primarily pointed to the ability for diversity-focused recruitment targeted groups to connect with their peers and community to achieve some diversity-related goals in the policing profession. Negative perceptions focused on fears that these type of recruitment strategies may lead to a lowered hiring standard which places diversity recruitment above what some describe as objective, non-diversity-focused metrics of competence. The intersecting identity/demographic analysis of the participants gave no indication that diverse or non-diverse officers feel a particular way about the concept. The perceptions gathered from this small but in-depth sample indicate that there is much work to be done within Ontario police services to create an understanding of the philosophy and methods behind their diversity recruitment strategies. The sample group of this study represents possible actors within their organizations’ recruitment team (i.e. though only some officers in the sample have worked in a recruitment branch, all have potential to end up as recruiters, selectors, coaches, etc.), and the definite end users/coworkers of the candidates who are hired in the current recruitment climate. This study can be used by police services to better strategize diversity-focused recruitment and to create better EDI/recruitment buy-in internally. Scholars can use this study to dig deeper into the perceptions officers have of diversity-focused recruitment and the role of perception influence on diversity recruitment in policing. Key Words: Police Diversity Recruitment, Intersectionality Theory, Standpoint Theory, Police Officer Perceptions, Ontario Police Diversity-focused Recruitment"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10613/28206","https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-19815"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:subject":["College of interdisciplinary studies"],"dc:title":["Police Officer Perceptions of Diversity-Focused Recruitment in Ontario, Canada"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T20:47:44Z"}