Police legitimacy is defined as the belief that police ought to be allowed to exercise authority to maintain social order. Which of the following statements best reflects this concept?

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Police legitimacy centers on the belief that the police are rightful authorities who may use force to maintain social order, and that they exercise that authority in a fair, appropriate, and accountable way. The statement that best reflects this is the belief that police ought to be allowed to exercise authority to maintain social order, because it captures the consent-based view that authority is legitimate when the public accepts and supports the police’s role in keeping the peace. The other options point to conditions that undermine legitimacy or shift the focus to outcomes: public mistrust signals a lack of legitimacy, power exercised without accountability erodes legitimacy, and being efficient at solving crimes concerns performance rather than whether the authority is viewed as rightful.