Effect of Violence Experience on Riot police’s de-policing: the mediating effect of audience legitimacy

Riot police officers(RPO) are frequently deployed to high-risk situations, such as protests and demonstrations, where they are often exposed to violence. These violent experiences can lead to negative perceptions of the public, which in turn may result in a depolicing. Depolicing not only reduces police engagement but also undermines the trust between police and the community, ultimately affecting public safety and social stability. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the factors hindering police performance and develop strategies to address these challenges. This study focuses particularly on the concept of audience legitimacy, examining its mediating effect in the relationship between experiences of violence and depolicing. Audience legitimacy refers to the extent to which police officers feel their authority and roles are recognized as legitimate by the public, serving as a crucial psychological factor in determining the quality of police work and cooperative behavior. The findings of this study confirmed a complete mediating effect of audience legitimacy in the relationship between violent victimization and police activity retraction. In conclusion, as the dialogical approach gains prominence in legitimacy research, it becomes essential to delve deeper into police officers' self-perceptions as key actors. Additionally, follow-up studies on officers exposed to violence at the frontline of public safety are recommended.