Interacting with persons with disabilities : South African police officers’ knowledge, experience and perceived competence

Abstract

Police officers increasingly come into contact with persons with various disabilities in their line of duty. This study aimed to determine police officers’ knowledge, experience, and perceived competence in interacting with persons with disabilities by using questionnaires (n = 98). Participants spanned different genders, age groups, educational levels, ranks, and years of experience. Results showed fair knowledge of the different disability types, despite no prior training. This was attributed to 52% of participants with a family member with a disability and 39% who had previously come into contact with various disability types in their line of duty. Knowledge was poor in identifying specific characteristics of various disabilities. Regarding experience, police officers reported that they most frequently encountered persons with physical disabilities. Perceived competence in interacting with persons with disabilities in the course of policing varied from high to low. A need for training related to disabilities was expressed by 94% of participants.