'Real' Police Work?: Norms and Consequences of UK Police Email Use

Abstract

This paper discusses how the interaction between organisational conditions, media capabilities and socially defined norms of email use can lead to negative consequences of use. A mixed-methods online questionnaire addressed the perceptions of police officers regarding the influence of email on police work and working relationships. Findings reveal that norms of email use, facilitated by the capabilities of this medium, exacerbate existing issues within the organisation such as conflict between management and operational level officers, and the view that bureaucracy related to increasing levels of accountability leads to feelings of overload and stress, and prevents officers from carrying out 'real police work'. The paper reflects on the maintenance of social norms, even in conditions where the behaviour may not be considered appropriate by all members of the group, with implications for further research in this area. The paper argues that norms of email use are perceived as inappropriate by the officers, but that these officers are constrained by and maintain these norms despite this. Results show the importance of considering the interaction between media capabilities, organisational conditions and social norms of use in understanding the consequences of email use within organisational contexts.