How do People Relate to the Police? A Qualitative Study on Motivational Postures Towards the Police in Chile

How do people position themselves towards the police? We draw on Motivational Postures Theory to analyse the relationship between citizens and the police in Chile. We present findings from eleven focus groups conducted among diverse social groups (according to nationality, ethnicity and political stance) in three cities. We aimed to uncover the underlying motives and attitudes that shape public interactions with the police. The results describe the main motivational postures towards Carabineros – the main police force in Chile – highlighting the primordial presence of postures of capitulation, resistance, as well as the emergence of a form of conditional commitment. Furthermore, we find evidence for the existence of a sixth posture defined in the literature as avoidance, characterised by an active behavioural disengagement from the police. We conclude by highlighting the importance of understanding the relational dynamics between citizens and the police in democratic societies to shape public policies and law enforcement practices.