Researchers have argued that the creation of citizen oversight often involves debate between those that support its use and
the police which do not. Police unions, for example, have a long history of objecting to the creation of oversight, especially
during collective bargaining. Minority demands for police reform, on the other hand, can lend support for its implementation,
especially after a highly publicized case of misconduct between the police and minority citizens. Using a retrospective approach,
this study examined the extent to which these opposing forces influenced the existence of oversight. Findings suggest that
departments that engage in collective bargaining were no more likely to use an oversight agency than departments that did
not engage in collective bargaining. Cities with large percentages of African Americans, however, were more likely to have
an existing oversight agency.
Keywords Police unions - Collective bargaining - Group position thesis - Citizen oversight