Dealing with the authority to use force: reflections of Belgian police officers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Based on 39 interviews with Belgian frontline police officers this article discusses police use of force from the viewpoint of the police officer. Since police officers have a certain amount of discretion, differences can be noticed in how they are dealing with their unique authority to use force. Inspired by the study of Muir [(1977. 1977. Police: streetcorner politicians. Chicago: University of Chicago Press)] the article explores attitudinal policing styles of Belgian police officers, and as such illustrates different ways of dealing with the use of force. Furthermore, officers’ reflections on how (and why) their attitude to and way of dealing with the use of force has evolved throughout their career are explored. Thereby, two (learning) processes are discerned: (1) a process of gaining/losing comfort in (not) using force and (2) a search for ‘the appropriate’ approach. The study indicates that several police officers, at least at some point in their career, are uncomfortable and/or insecure about using force. At the start of their career, police officers predominantly attribute the unease to use force to a lack of street experience. However, several senior officers also point at specific personal experiences and a perceived shortage of organisational support which made them more insecure to use force later in their careers. Besides that, the study discloses the major influence of peers and field supervisors on the development of a police officer’s moral compass for making use-of-force decisions.