The Dutch police organisation actively strives to become an ethnic diverse organization for
reasons of legitimacy, accessibility, equal opportunity for all members of society and to
gain ethnic expertise (LECD, 2005). However, the Police organization has not been
successful in hiring and retaining a representative proportion of immigrant employees. The
massive outflow, is in some police regions higher than the inflow. This, is a serious
problem that the police organizations faces. Furthermore, the vertical mobility of
immigrant police workers lags far behind the career progression of their Dutch co-workers.
The aim of this study was to study the influence of the preferred acculturation strategies
(Berry, 1997) on career prospects (self-efficacy, work satisfaction and motivation) vertical
mobility of immigrant police workers. More specifically it is studied whether the
importance that is attached to (a) cultural...
Show moreThe Dutch police organisation actively strives to become an ethnic diverse organization for
reasons of legitimacy, accessibility, equal opportunity for all members of society and to
gain ethnic expertise (LECD, 2005). However, the Police organization has not been
successful in hiring and retaining a representative proportion of immigrant employees. The
massive outflow, is in some police regions higher than the inflow. This, is a serious
problem that the police organizations faces. Furthermore, the vertical mobility of
immigrant police workers lags far behind the career progression of their Dutch co-workers.
The aim of this study was to study the influence of the preferred acculturation strategies
(Berry, 1997) on career prospects (self-efficacy, work satisfaction and motivation) vertical
mobility of immigrant police workers. More specifically it is studied whether the
importance that is attached to (a) cultural maintenance (related to the ethnic identity of
origin) and (b) contact and participation (adaptation to the Dutch (police) culture) is related
to work satisfaction, future career motivation and self-efficacy, and actual vertical mobility
within the police organization. 49 male and 44 female first- and second generation
immigrant police employees (mainly Turkish, Moroccan, Surinam and Antillean descent)
filled out a questionnaire and provided information concerning their career steps and salary
increase. As predicted, it was found that the importance attached to contact and
participation (i.e. an assimilation strategy) positively affected by work and career
satisfaction and self-efficacy. Importance of cultural maintenance is negatively affected by
work and career satisfaction and the self-efficacy of making a career within the police
organization. Results are discussed in relation to opportunities for immigrant workers, the
general multicultural attitude within the police organizations and future venues for change.
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