Values in communitarian police services: the Block Patrol Program under the means end-chain theory view

Abstract

The increase of violence, the more intense citizen’s search for security contributed for a new model of police offered by government which is the “community police”. This kind of police is developed in many countries in order to create a close relationship with the society. It is focused on the partnership between society and police to develop jointly an improved people’s welfare. This paper’s objective is to make an analysis, under the means end-chain theory, of the values structure of the users of “Block patrol” a community police created in a capital city of the northeast of Brazil. First, this study identifies the main attributes of the services as attendance speed, nice clothing, credibility. The second step was to relate these attributes to the consequences to the user. These main attributes perceived by these users and the relation between these and its consequences lead to the values. The laddering technique was used which allowed the construction of the hierarchical value map showing the user’s behavior after the service experience. This map shows the main relationship with the attributes, consequences and values, allowing insights to an effective communication strategy. The values identified were: love, friendship, citizenship, happiness, honesty and satisfaction.