Police–public relations in Kuwait: exploring trust, cooperation, and the impact of wasta on law enforcement

Scholarly work on police-public relations in the Middle East is exceptionally scarce, a gap deepened by region-specific cultural dynamics. This study examines police-public relations in Kuwait, addressing dynamics such as trust, cooperation, and wasta—a culturally entrenched form of favoritism. Survey data were collected from the public (n=1,050) and police personnel (n=145). Pairwise analysis showed that the public had higher trust in and satisfaction with the police than the police with the public. Police agreed more strongly on the harm of wasta, yet were less likely to admit to participating in it. Multivariate analysis identified gender as the most consistent correlate of public sentiment, with women having more favorable views but being less likely to cooperate. This study fills notable gaps in the literature, underscoring the need for police reform to address disparities rooted in wasta and gender roles inhibiting cooperation with law enforcement.