Exposure to Police Use of Force, Perceived Police Legitimacy, and Personal Safety Interventions Among Black Emerging Adult College Students

Objective: Exposure to police violence is a public health concern for Black emerging adults ages 18–29 given its prevalence and association with negative health outcomes. However, research examining the role of perceived police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use of force and personal safety interventions is scant. This study investigated the mediating role of perceived police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use of force and personal safety interventions (reliance on police, self, or others) in a sample of Black emerging adults. Method: We administered computer-assisted surveys to English-speaking Black emerging-adult college students (N = 300) in St. Louis, MO, with a history of exposure to police use of force. Results: Findings from a bivariate analysis showed that exposures to police use of force as a victim, witness, or in the media were all significantly associated with perceptions of police as being less legitimate. In addition, findings from a path analysis revealed an indirect-only mediation effect of perceptions of police as being less legitimate in the relationship between seeing videos of police use of force in media and less reliance on police for personal safety. Conclusions: Attenuating gratuitous police use of force toward Black emerging adults is paramount for improving perceived legitimacy and trust in police to ensure personal safety for this population.