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Abstract
Since 2020, the visibility of police misconduct on social media has increased dramatically. While these specific instances have led to national conversations about law enforcement, little continues to be known specifically about how this online presence shapes college students’ perceptions of their campus police specifically. In this study, we explore how viewing internet-based, and specifically social media content, depicting police misconduct influences university students’ views of campus police. By examining perceived legitimacy of campus police in a university setting, it allows researchers to examine an environment where police serve distinct roles and interact with their constituency in a unique way. This study was conducted at a large urban public university using an online survey that included close-ended and open-ended questions. Using qualitative student data, we identify major themes related to the impact of viewing police misconduct on students’ perceptions of campus police. Preliminary findings indicate that exposure to police misconduct via online content eroded students’ trust in campus police, heightened awareness of racial bias, and increased skepticism of the justice system. Further, student narratives emphasized a weakened willingness to cooperate with campus police. We discuss how these qualitative results compliment or differ with existing quantitative results on student perceptions of campus policing and highlight the need for campus police departments to engage in transparent communication, community-based trust building, and equity-centered policy development.
Publication Date
202
Subject Major(s)
Criminal Justice and Political Science
Keywords
Police legitimacy; campus police; social media influence; police misconduct; student perceptions; procedural justice; racial bias; thematic analysis; media exposure; institutional trust
Disciplines
Criminology and Criminal Justice | Higher Education
Current Academic Year
Senior
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Nancy A. Morris, Ph.D.
Rights
© The Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Campbell, A. J. (2026, April). From social media to campus streets: The impact of online police misconduct on student perceived legitimacy of campus police [Poster presentation]. National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).