Representative Training with Less Risk: The Effects of Non-lethal Training and Conventional Ammunition in Police Use of Force Training on Heart Rate Variability

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-425
Author(s):  
Mario S Staller ◽  
Jon C Cole ◽  
Benjamin Zaiser ◽  
Swen Körner
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Active Duty ◽  
Training Design ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Physiological Load ◽  
Psychophysiological Arousal ◽  
The Impact

Abstract With the goal of preventing unintentional fire-arm death and injury as well as widening the scope of police use of force training design, this study compared the impact of non-lethal training (NLT) ammunition and conventional ammunition (CA) on police officers’ psychophysiological arousal. We assessed heart rate and parasympathetic activity while police officers engaged in a demanding fighting and shooting exercise. Based on previous research, which shows that physiological arousal in representative scenario exercises does not differ from active duty operations, this study tested and corroborated the hypothesis that simulated psychophysiological demand will be the same in using both NLT and CA. Thus, the use of NLT ammunition provides a safe alternative to training the use of issue weapons with CA, equally as representative of the active duty environment of the real world. Furthermore, this study underlines that fighting elicits high levels of physiological load that police officers need to be prepared for.

scholarly journals The Structure and Delivery of Police Use of Force Training: A German Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario S. Staller ◽  
Swen Koerner ◽  
Valentina Heil ◽  
Isabel Klemmer ◽  
Andrew Abraham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Time On Task ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Training Time ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Constructive Alignment ◽  
Action Capabilities

AbstractThe current study aims to investigate the current structure and delivery of police recruit training. Using a case study approach, we systematically observed a semester of police training that consisted of 30 h with a specific focus on police use of force training. Field notes and time-on-task data was analysed using an inductive approach. The results revealed, first, a lack of constructive alignment of the training modules and learning tasks within the training settings. Second, an adherence to traditional linear approaches to training resulting in high amounts of augmented instruction and feedback and a one-size-fits all approach to technical and tactical behaviour. Third, a non-efficient use of available training time with low amounts of engagement in representatively designed tasks that stimulated problem-solving processes. Based on these results we suggest that there is a need: (a) for police trainers and curriculum designers to align the objectives, practice structure and delivery of police training with the needs of police officers in the field (e.g. conflict resolution); (b) for police trainers to employ more learner-centred pedagogical approaches that account for individual action capabilities and resources, and allow for high amounts of training time with representatively designed training tasks; and (c) for senior managers of overall police training decision-makers to provide the necessary trainer education, in order to furnish trainers with the knowledge and tools to appropriately plan, deliver and reflect upon their practice in keeping with concept of constructive alignment.

scholarly journals Revised findings for "Procedural justice training reduces police use of force and complaints against officers"

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Wood ◽  
Tom Tyler ◽  
Andrew V Papachristos ◽  
Jonathan Roth ◽  
Pedro H. C. Sant'Anna
Keyword(s):  
Procedural Justice ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Original Study ◽  
Statistical Problem ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Chicago Police Department ◽  
Point Estimates ◽  
Chicago Police

Wood et al. (2020) studied the rollout of a procedural justice training program in the Chicago Police Department and found large and statistically significant impacts on complaints and sustained complaints against police officers and police use of force. This document describes a subtle statistical problem that led the magnitude of those estimates to be inflated. We then re-analyze the data using a methodology that corrects for this problem. The re-analysis provides less strong conclusions about the effectiveness of the training than the original study: although the point estimates for most outcomes and specifications are negative and of a meaningful magnitude, the confidence intervals typically include zero or very small effects. On the whole, we interpret the data as providing suggestive evidence that procedural justice training reduced the use of force, but no statistically significant evidence for a reduction in complaints or sustained complaints.

scholarly journals Being held to account: Detainees’ perceptions of police body-worn cameras

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Lee ◽  
Emmeline Taylor ◽  
Matthew Willis
Keyword(s):  
Use Of Force ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Activity Increase ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
Police Accountability ◽  
The World ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
Perceptions Of Police ◽  
The Impact

Police organisations across the world are embracing body-worn video camera technology. The justification for this is to enhance public trust in police, provide transparency in policing activity, increase police accountability, reduce conflict between police and public, and to provide a police perspective of incidents and events. However, while the corpus of research into the efficacy and operational practicalities of police use of body-worn video cameras is developing, questions on some elements of their impact remain. The majority of scholarship has hitherto been evaluations focused on the impact of the cameras on police use of force and on the numbers of complaints against the police. Alternatively, this article explores body-worn video cameras from the perspective of police detainees, and specifically, detainees’ perceptions of the capacities of body-worn video cameras to deliver promised increased levels of accountability in policing. The article draws on a survey and research interviews with 907 police detainees across four Australian jurisdictions. While respondents largely support the use of body-worn video cameras they also identify a number of caveats. We conclude by suggesting that there are still impediments in body-worn video cameras to achieving the level of accountability promised by advocates and expected by the respondents.

Testing the impact of physiological stress response on police performance during critical job tasks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois James ◽  
Michael S. Goldstein ◽  
Peter Lecy ◽  
Stephen Mase
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stress Profile ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

PurposeTo add to the existing body of knowledge on the relationship between stress and job performance in policing, we monitored police officers' physiology using Hexoskin shirts while they responded to simulated scenarios.Design/methodology/approachWe employed mixed repeated measures (baseline, intervention, post-intervention), between groups (treatment vs control group) design. Using this approach, our aims were (1) to determine whether an individualized physiological stress profile—a combination of heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), sympathetic nervous system (SNS) index and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) index—could be developed for each participant; (2) to investigate the association between physiological stress and scenario performance and (3) to pilot test an intervention for decreasing physiological stress in real time.FindingsWe found that it was possible to individualize physiological stress profiles for each participant that alerted us when the participant was becoming stressed. We also found that physiological stress was significantly and negatively/inversely associated with scenario performance. However, our intervention to try and decrease participants' stress in real time was not successful. Several key lessons can be taken from our attempt that could inform future efforts in this area.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a small pilot study, precluding generalizability of results. Furthermore, our intervention was simplistic and potentially affected by an experimenter effect. Future research should explore better ways to intervene when officers are becoming physiologically stressed to help them overcome stress in real time and safeguard against the cumulative effects of stress on health and performance.Originality/valueThis research adds to the body of knowledge on physiological stress and job-task performance in police officers.

scholarly journals Police use of force: individualistic, situational, and organizational approachPolisin zor kullanmasi: bireysel, durumsal ve organizasyonel yaklaşım

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1280
Author(s):  
İlyas Özgentürk
Keyword(s):  
Police Officer ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Police Culture ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Physical Strength

<p>While ensuring public safety and fighting against criminals the police are given exceptional powers such as the use of force to protect themselves as well as others in the process of fighting criminals. In a democratic society the limits of the use of force given by the state to the police is regulated by law. Misuse of power by the police, regarding humanitarian concerns, in terms of philosophical dilemmas and political implications has great impact on people. Use of force is defined as; use of physical strength and any equipment in increased proportion to neutralize acts of resistance or attack. The power to use of force is a direct intervention to the fundamental rights and freedoms of persons. Therefore, use of excessive force is considered as a direct violation of human rights. There have been numerous researches and studies about Police use of force. However, the complex structure of use of force, and it association with many factors creates a lot of limitations in this area. Therefore, the researchers have systematized the use of force by the police and focused on situational and institutional factors. Individual factors affecting the use of power and force by the police officers are defined as; The age of the police officer, education level and occupational experience. Regarding situational factors the researchers have focused on characteristics like; type of event that the police officer has encountered the public and the characteristics the suspects. Regarding explaining the Institutional factors it is focused on; the affect of the police culture (subculture) and service delivery philosophy of de unit that the officer is working at.</p><p align="left"> </p><p align="left"><strong>Özet</strong></p><p align="left">Kamunun güvenliğini sağlama ve suçlularla mücadele etme görevini yerine getirirken polise hem kendisini hem de başkalarını koruması ve suçlularla mücadele edebilmesi için zor kullanma gibi bir takım istisnai yetkiler verilmiştir.  Demokratik toplumlarda devletin polise vermiş olduğu zor kullanma yetkisinin sınırları hukuk tarafından düzenlenmiştir. Polisin sahip olduğu gücü suiistimal etmesi insani kaygılar, felsefi ikilemler ve politik sonuçlar açısından halk üzerinde büyük etkilere sahiptir. Zor kullanma; direnme ve saldırı karşısında bu fiilleri etkisiz hale getirecek derecede artan nispette bedeni kuvvet her türlü teçhizatı kullanmak şeklinde tanımlanmaktadır. Zor kullanma yetkisi kişilerin temel hak ve özgürlüklerine doğrudan bir müdahaledir.  Bu nedenle zor kullanma yetkisinin aşılması doğrudan insan hakları ihlali sayılmaktadır. Polisin zor kullanması ile ilgili sayısız araştırmalar ve çalışmalar yapılmıştır.  Ancak, zor kullanmanın kompleks yapısı ve  çok çeşitli nedenlerle ilişkili olmasından dolayı bu alanda oldukça fazla sınırlamalar vardır.  Bu nedenle, araştırmacılar polisin kuvvet kullanmasını sistematize ederek bireysel, durumsal ve kurumsal faktörlerin üzerinde durmuşlardır. Polis memurlarının güç ve kuvvet kullanmasını etkileyen bireysel faktörler; polis memurlarının yaşı, eğitim seviyesi, mesleki tecrübesi gibi karakteristikleri üzerinde durulmuştur. Durumsal faktörler; polislerin halk ile karşı karşıya geldikleri olayların cinsi ve şüphelilerin karakteristikleri üzerinde yoğunlaşmıştır. Kurumsal faktörler; polisin memurlarının görev yaptığı polis biriminin kurumsal kültürü ve hizmet anlayışının etkilerini açıklamaya çalışmaktadır.</p>

The effect of community-oriented policing on police use of force: does community matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly Miranda McCarthy ◽  
Louise E. Porter ◽  
Michael Townsley ◽  
Geoffrey P. Alpert
Keyword(s):  
Violent Crime ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Multilevel Modelling ◽  
Community Consultation ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Police Use Of Force ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
Community Oriented Policing ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether community-oriented policing (COP) influences rates of police use of force across communities, and whether the impact of COP varies according to the level of violent crime in communities. Design/methodology/approach A range of data sources including police use of force reports, online surveys of Officers-in-Charge and recorded crime data was used to examine the association between formal and informal community consultation and the frequency of police use of force, across 64 socially challenged communities in Australia. Findings Poisson multilevel modelling indicated no overall association between informal or formal community engagement and rates of police use of force. However, significant interaction terms for both informal and formal community consultation with violent crime rates indicated that higher levels of informal and formal community consultation were associated with lower rates of police use of force in communities with higher levels of violent crime. This relationship was not evident in low violent crime areas. Research limitations/implications Communities were purposively sampled to have a high propensity for police use of force, on the basis that they had high rates of violent crime, or high levels of socio-economic disadvantage, or both. This research should be replicated with a representative sample of communities. Practical implications The findings extend the potential benefits of COP to reducing the use of coercive policing tactics in high violent crime communities. Originality/value This study finds that COP can reduce the frequency of violent encounters between police and community members in high violent crime communities.

Understanding police officer resistance to body-worn cameras

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Huff ◽  
Charles M. Katz ◽  
Vincent J. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Organizational Justice ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Citizen Complaints ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been adopted in police agencies across the USA in efforts to increase police transparency and accountability. This widespread implementation has occurred despite some notable resistance to BWCs from police officers in some jurisdictions. This resistance poses a threat to the appropriate implementation of this technology and adherence to BWC policies. The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that could explain variation in officer receptivity to BWCs. Design/methodology/approach The authors assess differences between officers who volunteered to wear a BWC and officers who resisted wearing a BWC as part of a larger randomized controlled trial of BWCs in the Phoenix Police Department. The authors specifically examine whether officer educational attainment, prior use of a BWC, attitudes toward BWCs, perceptions of organizational justice, support for procedural justice, noble cause beliefs, and official measures of officer activity predict receptivity to BWCs among 125 officers using binary logistic regression. Findings The findings indicate limited differences between BWC volunteers and resistors. Volunteers did have higher levels of educational attainment and were more likely to agree that BWCs improve citizen behaviors, relative to their resistant counterparts. Interestingly, there were no differences in perceptions of organizational justice, self-initiated activities, use of force, or citizen complaints between these groups. Originality/value Though a growing body of research has examined the impact of BWCs on officer use of force and citizen complaints, less research has examined officer attitudes toward the adoption of this technology. Extant research in this area largely focusses on general perceptions of BWCs, as opposed to officer characteristics that could predict receptivity to BWCs. This paper addresses this limitation in the research.

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