P. A. GOFF ET AL.
macy-challenging laws may create a vicious cycle between
police officers and the communities among which their legiti-
macy is challenged. If officers feel greater anxiety and less
safety in interacting with Latinos, they may use harsher means
of enforcement to secure their perceived safety; as a result,
officers may be seen as even less legitimate among Latinos and
would consequently feel even less safe. This idea is supported
by research showing that officers who feel like they have lost
control of a situation are more likely to use dominant force
(Alpert et al., 2004). Though further research is needed to test
these predictions, our research raises the possibility that racially
charged law-enforcement policies actually endangers the safety
of both officers and civilians. Still, if law enforcement and
communities are safer when police are seen as legitimate, then
this research is both necessary and urgent.
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