The law is the foundation and the framework how and in which parameters the Police functions, but their subculture is which defines how the police behave, interact within and without the force, also influences their values, beliefs and competencies, therefore the police culture is a core notion to understand the behaviour and attitude of the Police. Several interpretations and definitions exist amongst academics, as it is a very complex and layered concept. Westley (1970) paints the civilians aggressive, hostile and unreliable, which explains the police’s solidarity, privacy and unity. It also linked to “strategies and tactics” (Holdaway, 1983, p. 2), “accepted practices, rules and principles of conduct” (Manning, 1989, p. 360), and the hierarchical structures of the police force (Chan, 1997).

On the organisational level, officers are taught the Culture, beliefs, values and competencies (Competency and Values Framework for Policing, 2016), and also got influenced by their colleagues as they convert this framework into practice. For instance, a new constable learns at the College the arrest procedure, and from their Field Training Officer how to react and handle hostile individuals.

There are three layers of this Organisational Culture (OC) according to Champoux (2006) and Schein (2004): artefacts, beliefs and values and underlying assumptions. Artefacts are easily observable, as they are on the forefront, the dress code, jargon, etiquette and ceremonies. Beliefs and values however are embedded within the organisation, actively influencing the actions and attitudes of the police. The third part unconsciously internalized within the force, like bravery, autonomy and ethos of secrecy (Gaines et al., 1997). The latter could mean for example: police officers should look after their partner, not interfere with other officers’ area or avoid reporting on their own. This creates a strong form of brotherhood, loyalty and solidarity amongst police officers.

These overlapping and often contradicting dynamics from the organisation and the subculture together causing stress, pressure, external and internal conflicts, which could lead certain behaviours within the Police, like cynicism, solidarity, suspicion, distrust, conservatism, isolation, pragmatism, bias and prejudice(Reiner, 2010; Skolnick, 1966).

Police Culture can function as a coping mechanism, but also could escalate these issues mentioned above, therefore it is important to address them accordingly. For instance Canteen Culture could play a role, where officers can express their concerns, worries in regard their job (Hoyle, 1988), show their human (not professional) side to their colleagues in a form of jokes and banter, which is usually not seen during their shift (Waddington, 1999). However, Holdaway (1996, 1997) argued that racism is rooted within this Culture, which contributing and reinforcing certain discriminating tendencies and labels.

Overall, Police Culture is a multi-layered notion, which consist of organisational and cultural values, beliefs, rituals and rules, tactics and regulations. They form and shape together the police personality (Berg, 1999), which is constantly under multiple forms of strains from internal and external factors. Furthermore, it creates a social class and subculture, which is somewhat isolated from the rest of the society, still an essential part of it, while constantly scrutinising and supporting it. As our society and culture constantly evolving and changing, the Police Culture got affected by it as well. However it is a difficult transformation as it is embedded in a rigid framework, and it cannot be forced (Schein, 2004).  We can already see some progress, like community policing, changes in recruitment, discretion and policy making, which is a promising sign that a traditional Police Culture is capable of development, even if it is a slow process.