Police Enforcement Research Articles

Perceived effectiveness of traditional and technology-based speeding-related countermeasures

Introduction: Speeding behaviour contributes significantly to road crashes and subsequent injuries and fatalities. The purpose of this study was to examine which traditional countermeasures (i.e., police enforcement and on-road signs) and technology-based countermeasures (i.e., advanced driver assistance systems [ADAS] and in-vehicle speed audio alerts) drivers perceived as effective in assisting them to comply with posted speed limits. Methods: Participants (N = 680; Mage = 49.34 years) who held a current driver’s licence completed a 20-minute online survey. Participants in the experimental condition were randomly assigned to read one of four scenarios which differed based on location (urban or regional) and posted speed limit (60 km/hr or 100 km/hr) or to the control condition (no scenario), before answering questions about the perceived effectiveness of the traditional and technology-based interventions. For the experimental conditions, participants were instructed to respond to these questions based on how they would drive in the situation outlined in the scenario. Results: Low-level speeding behaviour was common, with 40.7 % reporting regularly driving 5 km over the posted speed limit in a 60 km/hr speed zone and 50.4 % reporting regularly driving 5 km over the posted speed limit in a 100 km/hr speed zone. A mixed ANOVA revealed that participants perceived police enforcement activities to be the most effective at assisting them to comply with posted speed limits when compared to other traditional and technology-based approaches. Further, ADAS was rated by participants as significantly more effective at assisting them to comply with the posted speed limit in the 100 km/hr urban condition compared to the 60 km/hr urban condition. Conclusions: Low-level speeding behaviour remains common practice and there is a need for continued roadside police presence to discourage this behaviour. Drivers with ADAS-equipped vehicles could also be encouraged to use systems, such as adaptative cruise control, to assist with speed management on high-speed roads.

Joining forces: Combining police and external expertise for cold case reviews

Cold case reviews within police and law enforcement agencies are challenging, not the least owing to the amount of time required to carefully review documentation, forensic exhibit holdings and various other casefile information. Most federal and state agencies are time poor, meaning there are very few dedicated cold case teams fortunate enough to have an abundance of police and expert staff resources. Universities and education organisations, however, have large troves of various expertise, alongside expansive human resources, by way of their academic and student body. In certain circumstances, the academic expertise and course offerings of a university may be well suited to assisting law enforcement in reviewing cold cases.There is growing desire for university courses to generate job ready graduates. In the field of law enforcement and policing this is difficult, as safety and the security of sensitive material and evidence is paramount. Educators strive to create workplace simulations, and with the correct mix of academic expertise, course offerings and industry linkages, the emerging opportunity for real cold case collaboration is possible. One such example is the Cold Case Review @ Murdoch (CCR) initiative. Since 2020, CCR has worked with the Lower Saxony Police Academy in Germany to develop the novel International Cold Case Analysis Project (ICCAP), now incorporating over 25 member institutions, to assist in solving real cases from both Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) and federal police jurisdictions. One case, known as “The North Sea Man” has shown great success and demonstrates the power of joining forces between law enforcement and external agencies to help advance cold cases.

"We are pleading for the government to do more": Road user perspectives on the magnitude, contributing factors, and potential solutions to road traffic injuries and deaths in Ghana.

Road traffic collisions disproportionately impact Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries. This study explored road user perspectives regarding the magnitude, contributing factors, and potential solutions to road traffic collisions, injuries, and deaths. We designed a qualitative study of 24 in-depth interviews with 14 vulnerable road users (pedestrians, occupants of powered 2- and 3-wheelers, cyclists) and ten non-vulnerable road users in four high-risk areas in November 2022. We used a mixed deductive (direct content analysis) and inductive (interpretive phenomenological analysis) approach. In the direct content analysis, a priori categories based on Haddon's Matrix covered human, vehicle, socioeconomic environment, and physical environment factors influencing road traffic collisions, along with corresponding solutions. We used inductive analysis to identify emerging themes. Participants described frequent and distressing experiences with collisions, and most often reported contributing factors, implementation gaps, and potential solutions within the human (road user) level domain of Haddon's Matrix. Implementation challenges included sporadic enforcement, reliance on road users' adherence to safety laws, and the low quality of the existing infrastructure. Participants expressed that they felt neglected and ignored by road safety decision-makers. This research emphasizes the need for community input for successful road safety policies in Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries, calling for greater governmental support an action to address this public health crisis. We recommend the government collaborates with communities to adapt existing interventions including speed calming, footbridges, and police enforcement, and introduces new measures that meet local needs.

Perception of drivers toward road safety and factors that cause road accidents in Riyadh city of Saudi Arabia

Injury as a result of road traffic accidents (RTA) is one of the leading causes of death and disability-adjusted life years. Strategies to handle this major public health problem, which has significant consequences for the Saudi economy and families, have been underway for many years but with very little success. This study’s main aim is to determine respondents’ perceptions of traffic safety and the factors that lead to road traffic accidents. It is a cross-sectional study conducted on randomly selected university students, faculty drivers, and visitors using King Saud University’s parking facility. Data were collected from 381 drivers using a pretested questionnaire, which comprises questions intended to attain the study’s objectives. The critical factors affecting traffic safety are public information followed by road maintenance, Garage, vehicle inspection, Road design and equipment, Training of drivers, Sanctions and Police enforcement, Protective devices and vehicle design, and post-accidental care. Road traffic accidents were found to be 39.0% with respondents aged less than 20 years, followed by ages between 20–35 years, which was 34.8%, and only 2.4% above 50 years. The most frequent occurrence of road traffic accidents was angle collision (39.0%) and back collision (18.9%), followed by hitting a fixed object (17.7%). Distraction habits during driving include cell phone usage (56.7%), followed by smoking (24.4%), and eating and drinking (18.9%) while driving. The most common traffic violations were increased speed limit (48.1) and loss of driving license (11.8%). The most common injuries were head (39.0%) and limbs (22.0%). A significant association between drivers’ age during the accident and distraction habits has been found (p < 0.000). The study demonstrated that drinking/eating, cell phone use, and violation of traffic rules are significant reasons for RTA. The findings of this study will contribute to a more comprehensive knowledge of road traffic accidents for the formation of effective strategies and evidence-based policies for the prevention of accidents.

Emergency policing and public trust in the police in Ghana: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic provides researchers and practitioners with an opportunity to examine the effect of emergency policing on public trust in the police and augment our understanding. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of police enforcement of COVID-19 health measures on public trust in the police in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA multivariate binary logistic regression was utilized to assess the effect of police enforcement of COVID-19 health measures on public trust in the police in Ghana using national representative data.FindingsOur analysis suggests that emergency policing positively influences public trust in the police in Ghana. Additionally, we observed that police-related issues such as corruption and professionalism, as well as demographic factors of the public, influence trust in the police. These observations are helpful for emergency policing and policy development in Ghana.Originality/valueThis study is unique because it uses national representative data to assess the effect of police enforcement of COVID-19 health measures on public trust in the police in Ghana. Furthermore, this study is among the first or among the few from Ghana and the sub-region to examine the nexus between health emergencies and policing.

The impact of policing and homelessness on violence experienced by women who sell sex in London: a modelling study

Street-based sex workers experience considerable homelessness, drug use and police enforcement, making them vulnerable to violence from clients and other perpetrators. We used a deterministic compartmental model of street-based sex workers in London to estimate whether displacement by police and unstable housing/homelessness increases client violence. The model was parameterized and calibrated using data from a cohort study of sex workers, to the baseline percentage homeless (64%), experiencing recent client violence (72%), or recent displacement (78%), and the odds ratios of experiencing violence if homeless (1.97, 95% confidence interval 0.88–4.43) or displaced (4.79, 1.99–12.11), or of experiencing displacement if homeless (3.60, 1.59–8.17). Ending homelessness and police displacement reduces violence by 67% (95% credible interval 53–81%). The effects are non-linear; halving the rate of policing or becoming homeless reduces violence by 5.7% (3.5–10.3%) or 6.7% (3.7–10.2%), respectively. Modelled interventions have small impact with violence reducing by: 5.1% (2.1–11.4%) if the rate of becoming housed increases from 1.4 to 3.2 per person-year (Housing First initiative); 3.9% (2.4–6.9%) if the rate of policing reduces by 39% (level if recent increases had not occurred); and 10.2% (5.9–19.6%) in combination. Violence reduces by 26.5% (22.6–28.2%) if half of housed sex workers transition to indoor sex work. If homelessness decreased and policing increased as occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the impact on violence is negligible, decreasing by 0.7% (8.7% decrease-4.1% increase). Increasing housing and reducing policing among street-based sex workers could substantially reduce violence, but large changes are needed.

Interaction of the national police with law enforcement units in the course of ensuring public security and order during mass events in Ukraine

The article examines the issue of interaction between law enforcement units in the course of ensuring public safety and order during mass events in Ukraine. It has been investigated that in the conditions of martial law, the powers of the National Police bodies have been significantly expanded, starting from the security and defense sector to direct tasks related to ensuring public safety and order in Ukraine.
 But, despite the fact that the issue of interaction has attracted the attention of scientists, in most cases it is considered in a wide range and certain features in the conditions of martial law remain not fully explored. Issues of interaction are extremely urgent and require coordination at the legislative level, as they do not have a generalized procedure for determining the necessity and coordination of actions.
 The security component in society is the main principle of observing the rights and freedoms of citizens, preventing rampant aggression, terrorism and mass crimes. The search for new joint compromise solutions is effective in combating these phenomena not only on the part of the National Police, but also other law enforcement agencies. Despite the fact that scientists have drawn attention to the issue of interaction, but in most cases these issues are considered in a wide range and certain features in the conditions of martial law remain incompletely researched.
 It was established that the concept of interaction should be considered as a complex phenomenon, in our case, related relationships between people in the field of law enforcement. The issue of interaction between the National Police and other law enforcement agencies requires a special approach during martial law. To ensure the protection of public safety and order during mass events, not only employees of the National Police, but also other units are involved. Coherence, interchangeability, clear coordination between all units is the basis of clear interaction between all structural units in the course of ensuring public order and public safety during mass events.
 It was determined that the interaction of the National Police with other law enforcement agencies and units in the course of ensuring public safety and order in Ukraine is an administrative set of measures aimed at increasing the efficiency and coordination of the work of the National Police with other law enforcement agencies and units in the course of ensuring public safety and order during the mass events in Ukraine.

Finding the Police Before the Police Find Them? Investigating How and Why Motorists Use Facebook for Knowledge of Roadside Drug Testing Locations

Facebook groups and pages exist that expose the locations of roadside drug testing, potentially undermining police enforcement and enabling punishment avoidance. This study aimed to understand how and why these sites are used, with a focus on Queensland motorists who reported using illicit drugs and/or medical cannabis and used Facebook police location communities. Interviews with 30 participants were conducted. A thematic analysis revealed that participants used police location communities to avoid receiving a charge for driving under the influence of drugs. Upon observation of a relevant roadside drug-testing location on police location communities, participants reported (a) delaying their driving and/or (b) circumventing the operation. Avoidance of roadside drug-testing locations appeared driven by the perception that laws for driving under the influence of drugs were unfair and that a charge for driving under the influence of drugs would negatively impact their life. The findings provide important knowledge regarding police location communities and have implications for how roadside drug testing could be most effectively operated.

The use of civilian quadrocopters in the official activities of the police and other law enforcement agencies: an overview of foreign experience

The use of civilian quadrocopters in the official activities of the police and other law enforcement agencies: an overview of foreign experience

Current trends in public involvement in crime prevention policing

The relevance of this study is substantiated by the need to implement a strategy of public influ- ence on crime, to improve police-public interaction in the field of crime prevention, new forms and meth- ods of which can be implemented in the activities of the National Police. The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive investigation of the practices of involvement of the public, community-based organisations, and individuals in police activities aimed at preventing offences, and of the legal frame- work in this area. According to the purpose and objectives set, the study employed general and special methods and techniques of scientific cognition, including the methods of analysis, synthesis, classification and grouping, which made it possible to investigate a wide scope of scientific discussions on the issues raised. Based on the analysis of secondary sources, it was found that researchers state a prominent level of public trust in the police and other law enforcement agencies, as well as in state and local governments in economically developed countries. Most researchers attribute this to the positive results and consequences of involving the public, community-based organisations, and individuals in policing activities to prevent crime, protect public safety and order, and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. It was found that in the modern scientific discourse, such successes are associated with the establishment of effective channels of communication between the police and the public and legislative regulation of such interaction. In this regard, the study elucidated the views of researchers on the approaches to regulatory support for the in- volvement of the public, community-based organisations, and individuals in police activities in preventing offences in different countries. The study argued the need for legislative consolidation of certain forms and methods of involvement of the public, community-based organisations, and individuals in police activities aimed at protecting public safety and order, protecting life, health and property of citizens, and preventing criminal offences. The review of the current state of scientific research on the issue formed the basis for further theoretical developments in the field of organising effective interaction between law enforcement agencies and society

"Dentro. Una storia vera, se volete / Dentro (Inside). A True Story, If You Think So" by Giuliana Musso

Giuliana Musso’s fearless play about the structures and cultures that hide sexual abuse is a Pirandellian spiral of truths that elude proof, presented through a theatrical framing that confounds reality with art. The most recent play of nine that she has written and performs in her preferred “theater of inquiry” style, Dentro (Inside), dramatizes Musso’s real-life encounter with an acquaintance who shared an impossible story of incest. In the opening minutes, Roberta discloses the horrifying experience of slowly learning that her ex-husband molested their daughter Chiara for years when they still lived together. Over a series of “chapters,” or scenes, it becomes apparent how every system in place to help vulnerable members of society—from the hospitals to private psychologists, the police and law enforcement, eventually the lawyers, the whole legal system, and even language itself—was unable to support Roberta and her daughter. To the contrary, given that the case was dismissed, they have gag orders; they cannot even speak of what happened so as not to slander the reputation of the ex-husband/ father. In a last-ditch effort, Roberta turns to Giuliana, who she knows as a celebrated actor-author, to devise a play that speaks to these issues. The actual play is ultimately a dramatized account of their real-life conversations.

Derrida and Parle-Ment (Parliament)

Recent scholarship on Jacques Derrida’s work has turned toward his political and institutional engagements. I further this body of research by outlining a twofold problematic regarding the issue of “parliament.” Its first dimension concerns what I call a poli-technic of lying, which denotes that politically impactful techniques of lying demand we follow the lacunae of the polis, the phenomenality of an international public sphere and technologies of public circulation, and the relationship between the construction of categories of “peoples,” “nations,” “borders,” and their “authorities” with practices of force or violence. In the following, I consider Derrida’s relation to the International Parliament of Writers (IPW) as a supplementary institution from which examination of this problematic might be situated in light of alternative traditions predicated on hospitality, and on sheltering the other as a practice inextricable from a “frank concept of truth.” I also consider the emergent possibilities this approach opens for responding to immediate conditions – attacks on the lives of writers around the world, accelerating global displacement, intensifying border closures, and unchecked police enforcement. I look toward the political unit Derrida identifies as crucial for these actions: the city as a space for frank and open speech – the ville franche.

Policing and politics of law enforcement in Nigeria’s fourth republic

ABSTRACT Historically, policing and law enforcement operations of the Nigeria Police Force have generally been characterised by covert and overt politicisation. Against this background, this article critically analysed the politicisation of policing and law enforcement in Nigeria’s fourth republic. It argues that the influence of politics on the enforcement of the law by the police agency manifests under different guises and circumstances at both the macro and micro levels. Police personnel are not only routinely being used by politicians and the ruling class to further their own personal political gains, the management and operational philosophy of the agency are also often a product of systematic politicisation and power struggles amongst groups. Consequently, the overall service delivery capacity of the Nigeria Police Force is being hampered by politicisation.

Policing the pandemic: Exploring public perceptions of the enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom

Traditional UK policing relies on Peelian principles of policing by consent in which public views of police legitimacy are crucial. This study used a mixed methods survey design to explore the impact of the Coronavirus Act 2020 on public perceptions towards the police in one UK force region. The findings indicate that self-reported compliance with COVID-19 measures was significantly related to trust in local policing. Qualitative responses indicate that police enforcement of Covid regulations was believed to infringe on individual liberties while losing focus on ‘real crime’ and decreasing trust in police.

Construction of a police physical evaluation model and standards based on law enforcement ability.

Purpose: In the context of police practical combat with the essence of coercion and confrontation, police physical fitness training guided by practical combat is increasingly valued. The objective of this study was to establish a police physical evaluation model and standards based on law enforcement ability. Methods: Using literature analysis, expert interviews, Delphi method, field testing, and mathematical statistics, the test results of 301 frontline law enforcement police officers from the Shanghai Public Security Bureau were used as sample data. Factor analysis was conducted on the selected indicators to determine the final indicator system for police physical fitness. The percentile method was used to develop evaluation standards, and frequency statistics and chi-squared tests were used to calculate the effectiveness and accuracy of the evaluation standards. Results: The research results revealed that the police physical fitness evaluation model based on law enforcement ability is Y = 0.115 × 30s of trigger pulling according to the gun + 0.105 × 30s of straight punching sandbags + 0.095 × 30s of wrestling the dummy + 0.062 × push-ups + 0.115 × 50-m run + 0.095 × 10m × 4 round trips + 0.116 × standing long jump + 0.090 × 2,000-m run + 0.089 × 30s of hitting sandbags using a short baton + 0.118 × 30s of poking sandbags using the long baton. The evaluation criteria were divided into single-item and comprehensive evaluation criteria. Conclusion: A practical police physical fitness evaluation model can effectively evaluate the level of police physical fitness development, and the evaluation standards can provide an effective basis for a practical police physical fitness evaluation.

How far have we advanced in simulation-based training for policing and law enforcement? A literature review 2014–24

Abstract The twenty-first century demands on police and law enforcement similarly demand effective, efficient and relevant officer training endeavours. Guided by the PRISMA literature review model this study identified and analysed a total of 35 peer-reviewed studies (2014–24) centred on simulation scenario-based training offering insight into (1) what are the different types and platforms used in scenario-based simulation training and (2) what skills are being trained in simulation-based exercises. The findings revealed a preference for high-fidelity technological tools for short training scenarios centred on tactical and procedural knowledge. Conversely, incidents that require conversations and negotiations remain restricted to platforms with limited technological integration or live role-players. The review identified (1) skills for daily operations, decision making, de-escalation training, major incident management were those most commonly attributed to simulation-based training and (2) the extent to which virtual environments can replicate major incidents that are sufficiently immersive for training continues to be a work in progress.

Musculoskeletal Injuries in Police Enforcement Trainees in the Pre-service Training Course of Iran

Purpose: Intensive military training courses are among the programs and specialties of the police force. Musculoskeletal disorders in the military are one of the vital factors that keep people away from courses and shorten their service life. This research aims to measure the prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in newly arrived students in the pre-service training course of the police force using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) questionnaire. Methods: For this purpose, 124 soldiers with a mean age of 20.7 years, a mean height of 178.5 cm, a mean weight of 72.9 kg, and a mean activity per week for 3 hours and 19 minutes in one of the training barracks affiliated to the Tehran Police Force and were selected and completed the OSTRC questionnaire every month for 6 months. The research design of this study is epidemiology and the results are presented descriptively. Results: The results of the research related to prevalence measurement on a monthly mean showed that ankles at 2.8%, knees at 2.2%, and waist at 1.8% respectively have the highest prevalence rates among soldiers. Also, among the harmful factors, the parade had the largest share with 22.5% and during 6 months, the second month had the highest number of injuries, and the sixth month had the lowest number of injuries. In terms of participation in exercises, 86.6% of soldiers participated in practical classes without any physical injuries during the six months. A total of 9.1% of the soldiers could not perform optimally and properly despite their full attendance in the practical classes due to physical injuries and finally, 3.8% of the participants, despite attending the practical classes, had to leave the class halfway due to the severity of the injury. Conclusion: What is clear is that the most affected areas are the central area and the lower limbs, and the spine of the back, head, neck, and upper limbs were not among the most damaged areas. Finally, it seems that the prevalence rate among the soldiers in training courses is acceptable and close to the average of global statistics. However, it is required to take preventive measures as well as plan to add classes and specialized exercises to strengthen physical fitness and specialized exercises related to improving the conditions of damaged areas.

Governing COVID-19: The Complex Relationship between Government Type and Police Enforcement Intensity: A Scoping Review

Governing COVID-19: The Complex Relationship between Government Type and Police Enforcement Intensity: A Scoping Review

“He Hopes They Have Disappeared”: Necro-elasticity and the Tyranny of the Present in Helena María Viramontes’s “The Cariboo Cafe”

Abstract This essay investigates the ways in which Helena María Viramontes’s “The Cariboo Cafe” (1985) depicts the necropolitical order of power in Central America and the United States during the decades-long civil wars (late 1970s to early 1990s) marked by racial violence and brutality committed by US-backed dictatorial regimes and police enforcement in both Central American and the United States. “The Cariboo Cafe” offers critical insights into the dialectical operations of the bio-necropolitical order of power in which the exposure to harm, injury, and death (that is, precarity) of racialized segments of the population serve to foster and secure the lives of those considered politically and, thus, ontologically relevant. The spatial and temporal dimensions of the story offer key insights into the specific ways in which necro-elasticity constitutes both spatial and temporal dispossession. Such dispossession, especially in its temporal configuration, points to the flattening of historical consciousness, what I refer to as “non-contextualization,” that ultimately underwrites the ideological conditions of possibility for the emergence and reproduction of individual and collective innocence and, thus, impunity.

Impact and Potential of Social Media in Policing and Law Enforcement

Impact and Potential of Social Media in Policing and Law Enforcement