Police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China

The purpose of this study is to explore police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China. Using original data from a survey of over 900 police officers in China, this study investigated patterns of officers’ attitudes toward the use of force and correlates of officer attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. This study shows that a significant number of officers hold attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. Regression analysis demonstrates complex relationship between police role-orientation and officers’ attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force. This study also found that police training on the use of force was not as effective as expected in shaping officers’ attitudes toward the use of force. The implication for police training is discussed in relation to findings of this study.

Development of Innovative Technologies to Improve Health and Wellbeing Behavioural Transformation in the Police Force (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Police officers often work long, unsocial hours in a highly pressurised environment and may experience difficulties when managing their health and wellbeing. Those working in the police face different health issues in comparison to the general public; their job can be highly stressful and feature unusual working hours and multiple shift patterns. A UK police force requested help investigating technologies which could be used to improve health and wellbeing; researching how these technologies could be used to measure and track health behaviour change. OBJECTIVE Research aims were focused on exploring current police officer attitudes to health and wellbeing technology and their use of existing health-related technology, conducted via an online survey for police officers and client meetings. Highlighting existing practice, gathering views about how technology could be used and opinions on what specific areas of health officers would like to see covered in a tailored mobile technological solution. This information would be used as a starting point for future prototyping of a targeted application that aimed to help solve issues that existing technology did not effectively cover. METHODS An online survey was completed by (n=213) police officers during the first period of UK lockdown. The survey was designed to find out what solutions the participants used outside of those supplied by their employer, as well as identifying issues or problems and what they would like a hypothetical application to focus on. Due to challenges arising from COVID-19 restrictions - in terms of logistics and operational pressures on the commissioning force – additional requirements data was captured through client meetings; including discussions concerning previous attempted solutions and those currently in place. A thematic analysis was undertaken to identify key themes. RESULTS Key challenges and opportunities of designing and delivering an integrated digital solution and maintaining user engagement were highlighted. Four key themes were identified for application coverage. These were the four areas of health and wellbeing that participants felt they would benefit from the most. In order of importance these were Activity, Food and Diet, Sleep, and Fluid Intake. CONCLUSIONS Research data suggests there is a requirement for a mobile application which would provide an easily accessible platform for police officers to utilise regardless of current location. One which could provide guidelines on diet, lifestyle habits and behaviour to help the user make informed decisions to assist in personalised behaviour change. Notably one which also aligns effectively with the irregular shift patterns of its users.

Policing Minority Communities: How Perception of Engagement and Level of “Awareness” Influence Officer Attitudes toward Practice

In the 21st century, policing of all citizens requires officers to have an increased awareness of minority communities. Yet in the wake of public complaints and mass demonstrations regarding police misconduct, it is clear that police bias toward minority communities often negatively influences engagement. To better understand police awareness of minority communities and how officers’ levels of awareness and perceptions of policing influence their perceptions of engagement, data were collected from police recruits and protective service officers (N = 1585) training at one of the largest police academies in Australia. The results show significant differences in awareness levels and perceptions of engagement of police recruits and protective service officers toward members of minority communities, as well as the factors influencing awareness during police–citizen engagement. These include the police recruit’s and protective service officer’s gender and sexuality, the frequency of socialization they have with diverse people, as well as the type of social interaction experienced. The results from this study offer suggestions to increase officers’ levels of awareness of minority communities, and how this may improve on-the-job performance overtime.

Moving the needle: can training alter officer perceptions and use of de-escalation?

PurposeDe-escalation training for police has received widespread attention as a method for reducing unnecessary and excessive use of force. There is virtually no research on de-escalation, and as a result, there is little understanding about what it is, what it includes and whether it is effective. The current study compares attitudes about the importance and use of de-escalation among officers who were randomly assigned to participate (or not) in de-escalation training.Design/methodology/approachThe current study draws from a larger randomized controlled trial of de-escalation training in the Tempe, Arizona Police Department (TPD). Approximately 100 officers completed a survey in June–July 2019 and again in June–July 2020. TPD delivered the de-escalation training to half the patrol force in February–March 2020. The authors compare treatment and control officers' attitudes about the importance of specific de-escalation tactics, how often they use those tactics and their sentiments de-escalation training. The authors employ an econometric random-effects model to examine between-group differences post-training while controlling for relevant officer attributes including age, race, sex, prior training and squad-level pretraining attitudes about de-escalation.FindingsTreatment and control officers reported positive perceptions of de-escalation tactics, frequent use of those tactics and favorable attitudes toward de-escalation before and after the training. After receiving the training, treatment officers placed greater importance on compromise, and reported more frequent use of several important tactics including compromise, knowing when to walk away and maintaining officer safety.Originality/valueOnly a few prior studies have has examined whether de-escalation training changes officer attitudes. The results from the current study represent an initial piece of evidence suggesting de-escalation training may lead to greater use of those tactics by officers during encounters with citizens.

Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest: Probation officer attitudes and experiences

Community correction organisations have recognised the importance of implementing evidence-based practices to improve probation practice and reduce recidivism rates. Research finds when probation agencies implement evidence-based practices in line with the Risk, Need, Responsivity model with fidelity, reductions in recidivism are possible. However, challenges of implementation persist. To assist in the translation of evidence-based practices to real-world practice, researchers and practitioners developed community supervision officer training programmes. Using qualitative interview data of trained federal probation officers, this study examined the implementation of the Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest. This study explored (1) probation officer attitudes and perceptions of Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest, training and implementation process; (2) how users and coaches implement key components of Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest; and (3) the organisational facilitators and barriers associated with Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest implementation. Findings suggest positive attitudes towards Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest for improving supervision process and highlight key facilitators and barriers that can be addressed to support successful implementation efforts.

Training police for procedural justice: An evaluation of officer attitudes, citizen attitudes, and police-citizen interactions

This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of a police training program on procedural justice. The evaluation focused on the short- and long-term effects of the training on officers’ attitudes toward four principles of procedural justice (i.e., trustworthiness, neutrality, voice, and respect). The evaluation also assessed officers’ behaviors on the street and citizens’ interactions such as citizen demeanor and compliance with police requests. Finally, it assessed how the interacting citizens perceived the police. Taken together, the comprehensive data suggested that the procedural justice training was effective both immediately and in the long run. Policy implications are discussed.

The Impact of Police Attitudes Towards Offenders on Law-Enforcement Assisted Diversion Decisions

Diversion is a prevalent alternative to traditional criminal justice processing, especially at the pre-trial stage. More recently, pre-arrest diversion has been implemented to avert the consequences of arrest, pre-trial proceedings, and future incarceration. Pre-booking diversion programs rely on the willingness of officers to use their discretionary authority to divert low-level offenders to community-based treatment programs in lieu of arrest, raising considerations about how law enforcement view offenders. Using data collected from a survey distributed during a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) training session for officers in one jurisdiction in the Rocky Mountain West (N = 118), the current study examines the impact of officer attitudes toward offenders on their decision to divert individuals. Findings indicate that officers who hold an optimistic view toward offender rehabilitation are more likely to divert offenders. Results and their significance for practical implementation of law enforcement pre-arrest diversion efforts are discussed.

Organizational support and Chinese police officers’ attitudes toward intervention into domestic violence

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine Chinese police officers’ general support for police intervention into domestic violence, emphasizing adequate protection of the victims, and specific support for utilizing arrests to deal with the offenders.Design/methodology/approachThis study relies on survey data collected from 1,064 police officers who worked in multiple areas in two provinces of China between June and July of 2019. OLS models were used to test whether organizational variables are significant predictors of officer attitudes toward domestic violence intervention.FindingsBoth agency endorsement and supervisory support are positively related to officers’ favorable attitudes toward police intervention into domestic violence and using arrests to handle offenders. The amount of training received from the agency on the recently promulgated Anti-Domestic Violence Law, however, has a negative influence on officer support for general intervention into domestic violence and no influence on officer attitudes toward arrests.Originality/valueThis study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the connections between organizational and managerial factors and Chinese officers’ support for both general and specific interventions into domestic violence. It contributes to the current literature that only included police cadets in the analysis of Chinese police attitudes toward domestic violence despite the fundamental differences between cadets and active-duty officers.