When police officers surrender: the effect of citizen incivility on withdrawal and turnover

Why do seemingly minor acts of citizen disrespect matter for police retention? Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and sociometer theory, this study examines how citizen incivility shapes officers’ withdrawal processes over time. Using a three-wave longitudinal survey of 1,397 police officers, we test whether baseline exposure to citizen incivility predicts subsequent trajectories of work disengagement and turnover intention. We argue that citizen incivility functions as a low intensity but psychologically consequential interpersonal cue that subtly threatens officers’ perceived social standing, depleting psychological resources, fostering disengagement, and ultimately increasing turnover intention. We further propose that perceived organizational support (POS), as a valued resource and a signal of institutional recognition, buffers these adverse effects. Results confirm that citizen incivility indirectly predicts turnover intention through disengagement, and that POS attenuates this pathway. These findings advance understanding of resource-loss dynamics in public service contexts and highlight the protective role of organizational support in sustaining frontline engagement and retention.