Motivation and Attitudes Behind the Career Choices of Hungarian Student Police Officers in Light of Policing Models

Abstract

Aim: The article examines the motivation and difference between police attitudes. This is worth examining what policing models exist, what police staff and professional attitudes fit into them, and what career choice attitudes are associated with them.
Methods: In the research survey was used. The individuals in the sample were all accepted into higher education and undertook the basic training of full-time police officer training.
Findings: The Author enlisted eight law enforcement models, which were divided into four clusters. The examined framework can be characterized by different goals and attitudes and it was found that we cannot talk about pure attitudes. The plurality of attitudes may vary from one branch of service to another, which may lead to mixed attitudes among respondents. A significant part of the students who start their law enforcement training did not see a pattern in terms of police careers, and their motivations and attitudes. A preconceived police attitude can be observed, because when candidates enter the police organization and start practical work, the organizational culture inherits the accepted police attitude and this is when their “professional blindness” becomes decisive.
Value: The study highlights the attitudes of police officer students at the beginning of their university education. The Author considered it important to find out in which patterns students entering training can identify with the values and views suggested by different law enforcement models. For this, the Author enlisted the help of eight law enforcement models. The different attitude contributes to society's acceptance that the functioning of law enforcement agencies is understandable and provides feelings of security.