Police Response Research Articles

Intimate partner homicide: hindsight bias, outcome bias and perspective-taking influences on perceptions of police responses

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if outcome bias and hindsight bias impact police performance ratings and perceptions of the likelihood and foreseeability of intimate partner homicides. In addition, the authors wished to see if taking the perspective of police mitigates any effects. Design/methodology/approach A total of 200 university students read vignettes describing an incident from a police officer’s perspective or from their own perspective. Participants also read risk assessments of the offender’s risk of committing violence. They were randomly assigned to receive either information that the offender later committed a homicide or no outcome information. Findings The results demonstrated an outcome bias and hindsight bias, wherein participants who received information about the homicide rated it as more likely and foreseeable and gave lower performance ratings to the police, compared to those who did not receive outcome information. Participants who took police perspective still showed this bias. Practical implications The findings indicate that people are likely to be biased in their perceptions and judgements of police performance when they know a homicide occurred. This bias seems to be difficult to overcome. Originality/value This paper provides empirical evidence to show people may be unfairly critical of police performance when a homicide is perpetrated.

Synthetically generated text for supervised text analysis

Abstract Large language models are a powerful tool for conducting text analysis in political science, but using them to annotate text has several drawbacks, including high cost, limited reproducibility, and poor explainability. Traditional supervised text classifiers are fast and reproducible, but require expensive hand annotation, which is especially difficult for rare classes. This article proposes using LLMs to generate synthetic training data for training smaller, traditional supervised text models. Synthetic data can augment limited hand annotated data or be used on its own to train a classifier with good performance and greatly reduced cost. I provide a conceptual overview of text generation, guidance on when researchers should prefer different techniques for generating synthetic text, a discussion of ethics, a simple technique for improving the quality of synthetic text, and an illustration of its limitations. I demonstrate the usefulness of synthetic training through three validations: synthetic news articles describing police responses to communal violence in India for training an event detection system, a multilingual corpus of synthetic populist manifesto statements for training a sentence-level populism classifier, and generating synthetic tweets describing the fighting in Ukraine to improve a named entity system.

‘I just shot my mom’: A genre analysis of swatting calls

Previous research has examined how callers and call-takers use linguistic resources to negotiate requests in emergency calls and has identified differences in calls where callers are being deceptive. However, no scholars have yet examined the discourse of swatting calls or emergency calls wherein an individual fabricates an emergency to inspire an armed police response in the form of a ‘Special Weapons and Tactics’ (SWAT) team. The current study addresses these gaps in a genre-based discourse analysis of caller moves and steps in a sample of 15 calls. We show how swatting callers use specific rhetorical moves (e.g. mentioning vulnerable victims, threatening future violence) that take advantage of police deployment prioritization protocols to escalate the urgency of their fictitious emergencies. Consequently, this study improves scholarly understanding of linguistic features used to request help in dangerous situations and introduces potential avenues for law enforcement to better identify ‘swatting’ calls in the future.

Policing cross-border fraud ‘Above and below the surface’: mapping actions and developing a more effective global response

Cross-border fraud, including its various forms such as online retail fraud, pyramid schemes, romance fraud and pig butchering, is a major problem around the world. Despite clear evidence that cross-border fraud is growing, there is little research charting the scale of cross-border fraud and the optimal policing responses to deal with it. This paper aims to fill this research gap by exploring what we know about the nature of cross-border fraud and current policing response. Unlike in other crime areas with a cross-border element, international bodies and nation states have shown very little interest in addressing cross-border frauds through what we term the higher profile ‘above the surface’ activities. Instead, policing responses have been present on a much larger scale in the private sector ‘below the surface’, with much less profile. Moreover, the paper argues that while cooperation and coordination between the public and private sector actors is crucial, there are very few policing structures bringing these diverse actors together to tackle cross-border fraud, among other gaps. By drawing on examples of alternative structures dealing with cross-border economic crime, the paper informs policy-makers by mapping out key actions and structures which should be considered to better tackle the global problem of cross-border fraud.

Associations between Insomnia Severity, Perceived Stress, Mental Toughness, Dark Triad Traits, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior among Cadets of the Swiss Armed Forces

ABSTRACT Background Compared to the general population, military personnel are at increased risk for insomnia and poor psychological well-being. The present study: (1) compared categories of insomnia severity between cadets of the Swiss Armed Forces (SAF) and previously published norms and (2) investigated the associations between insomnia and psychological well-being related to perceived stress, mental toughness, dark triad traits, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Methods A total of 216 cadets of the SAF (mean age: 20.80 years) completed self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, insomnia, perceived stress, mental toughness, dark triad, and organizational citizenship behavior. Data on insomnia sum scores and categories of historical samples (862 young adults and 533 police and emergency response service officers) were used for comparison. Results Cadets of the SAF reported higher insomnia sum scores and insomnia severity categories, compared to young adults and police officers. Higher scores for insomnia were associated with higher scores for stress, dark triad traits, and with lower scores for mental toughness and OCB. Categories of low, medium, and high stress moderated the association between insomnia and dark triad traits. Conclusions Compared to norms of the general population, cadets of the SAF reported a higher insomnia severity. Given that standardized treatment programs for insomnia, mental toughness, and above all for coping with stress are available, such interventions might be promising avenues to improve a cadet’s overall sleep, psychological well-being, and behavior.

To protect and serve: a review of initiatives to support of police officers to better meet the needs of older adult

PurposePolice officers increasingly respond to incidents involving aging-related issues, where older adults are vulnerable and require tailored approaches. This scoping review aims to map initiatives aimed at enhancing interactions between older adults and police and evaluates outcomes. Findings inform the development of a geriatrics-focused police training curriculum to support age-friendly policing. A literature search across major databases and grey literature yielded 20 relevant publications. Three main initiatives were identified: geriatrics-oriented training programs, specialized geriatric police units and geriatrics-oriented policing guidelines. These insights highlight effective strategies for improving police responses to aging-related challenges and guide future research and policy in this domain.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a scoping review methodology guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual and PRISMA-ScR checklist. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and executed across multiple databases and grey literature sources. Screening and selection of relevant studies were conducted in duplicate, with data extraction focusing on key elements such as study objectives, design, interventions and outcomes. Thematic analysis was employed to synthesize findings from included studies, highlighting three principal initiatives: geriatrics-oriented training programs, specialized geriatric police units and geriatrics-oriented policing guidelines. This approach aimed to map existing evidence, inform the development of a geriatrics-focused training curriculum and identify best practices for age-friendly policing.FindingsThe scoping review identified 28 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Findings highlighted varied approaches to enhancing police interactions with older adults, emphasizing training as pivotal. Effective strategies included specialized units, tailored training programs and guidelines integrating geriatrics principles. Key outcomes encompassed improved officer knowledge, communication skills and attitudes toward older adults, fostering enhanced service delivery and community relations. Evidence underscored the importance of ongoing education and collaborative partnerships in optimizing policing responses to aging populations, advocating for sustainable, age-friendly policing practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe review’s limitations stem from primarily English-language studies, potentially overlooking non-English literature. Variability in study designs and outcomes poses challenges to synthesizing findings comprehensively. Limited generalizability may result due to geographic and cultural differences in policing practices. Future research could benefit from longitudinal studies assessing long-term impacts and broader inclusion of diverse policing contexts and perspectives, enhancing applicability and depth of understanding in optimizing police interactions with older adults.Practical implicationsPractical implications include informing policy makers and law enforcement agencies about effective strategies to enhance interactions with older adults, emphasizing communication skills and de-escalation techniques. Training programs should integrate age-sensitive approaches to improve officers’ awareness and response to older adults’ needs and vulnerabilities. Implementing community engagement initiatives can foster trust and cooperation, contributing to safer and more supportive environments for older adults in policing interactions. These efforts can ultimately promote enhanced well-being and reduced conflicts between law enforcement and older adults.Social implicationsSocial implications highlight the need for broader societal awareness and education regarding the challenges faced by older adults in interactions with law enforcement. Addressing ageism and promoting respectful treatment can enhance community trust and reduce misunderstandings. Improved interactions between older adults and law enforcement can foster a more inclusive and supportive society, ensuring that older adults feel valued and protected. This can contribute to overall social cohesion and a more equitable experience for older adults in their interactions with law enforcement agencies.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in its focus on the intersection of age-related issues and law enforcement interactions, a relatively underexplored area in both gerontology and criminal justice research. By examining the perceptions and experiences of older adults and law enforcement officers, it provides valuable insights into mitigating ageism and improving interactions. The study’s findings contribute to enhancing understanding of how to promote respectful and effective communication between these groups, thereby offering practical implications for policy and training initiatives aimed at fostering better relationships and outcomes for older adults in law enforcement encounters.

Measures to strengthen police response to stalking crimes

Measures to strengthen police response to stalking crimes

E-Policing dan Implikasi Kebijakan Pengelolaan Keamanan Publik

This study aims to analyze the implementation of E-Policing in the management of street crime reports in Depok City in the period May to August 2024. By utilizing information and communication technology, E-Policing functions to increase efficiency, speed, and accuracy in crime reporting and handling. The method used in this study is a combination of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews from the people of Depok City. The results of the study show that the implementation of the "Halo Police" Application has improved the ease of crime reporting, accelerated police response, and strengthened community involvement in security surveillance. The public feels more satisfied with police services after the implementation of E-Policing through the "Halo Police" Application. However, for now the use of the "Halo Police" Application is still uneven and only exists in urban communities, it is a challenge for the government to be able to increase the equitable distribution of the system to make it easier for the community, which contributes to increasing public involvement in maintaining security.

Evaluating the impact of sexual assault training on police officers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeWe evaluated and summarized the current literature on police sexual assault training. To do so, we examined the overall effects of police sexual assault training and assessed for potential moderating factors impacting training effectiveness. MethodsWe conducted a meta-analysis using robust variance estimation (RVE) to estimate the mean effects sizes and assess for potential moderating factors. Our sample included 294 effect sizes, 31 studies, and 22 independent datasets. ResultsSexual assault training had a substantial impact across all outcomes, and was positively associated with improvements in officers' perceptions, hypothetical case processing decisions, content knowledge, and police behaviors. Analysis of long-term follow-up data found training effects remained robust and significant over time. In addition, training effects remained stable across moderator analyses. DiscussionFindings reveal that sexual assault training programs of varying duration/dosage can significantly improve police perceptions, knowledge, and behavior. Evaluation research should continue to assess training through the use of rigorous research designs and with measures of police behavior. Ultimately, training has considerable utility for enhancing police response to sexual assault.

Examining Use of Force Outcomes in Police Calls for Service: Evidence From Cincinnati

This study explores the correlates of use of force (UOF) in police responses to calls for service (CFS), drawing on situational, community, and organizational perspectives. Linear probability models were used to analyze CFS and UOF records for Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) from October 2014 to July 2021, along with sociodemographic and crime data aggregated to census tracts. The type of CFS, as well as quicker response times and police-initiated actions, were associated with UOF. Broader situational variables (including nighttime, alcohol consumption, and high activity periods), tract-level crime and sociodemographic characteristics, and year showed little statistical association. The study finds modest evidence of organizational influences on UOF outcomes, in the form of variation by police district.

‘On a knife's edge’: medical, police, and legal responses to self‐harming protesters

AbstractTraditional liberal democratic theories of protest can readily account for protest violence against others or their property, and are quick to denounce and criminalize such actions. However, protests that involve self‐harm are harder to frame; they neither engage the harm principle, nor threaten a sovereign state of ostensible peace. Under liberal legalism, capacitous and consenting protesters should not have their rights of expression interfered with in such cases. However, in England and Wales, legal responses to self‐harming violence nevertheless emerge, not necessarily within a public order framework, but through a risk‐averse, medicalized lens. Co‐authored by a legal academic and a practising psychiatrist, this article argues that mental health practitioners, the police, and the courts engage in a ‘paternalistic pivot’ in self‐harming protest cases, which undermines human rights protections that are ordinarily afforded to protesters who are not causing a threat to others or their property.

Democracy and Crime in Latin America

Abstract Do firm stances against crime, up to a level at which they disregard Human Rights, overflow the sphere of crime control and associate with a preference against democracy? This study determines whether victimization of crime encourages support for the death penalty, the desire to own a firearm, and broader authoritarian political attitudes. The hypothesis is tested in Latin America using the LAPOP (2018/2019) database in 17 countries. Three sets of indicators are observed in the logistic models: a) dependent variables (desire to own a firearm, support for the death penalty, perception of democracy as the best form of government, support for a coup in the case of high crime, satisfaction with democracy, and trust in institutions); b) independent variables (victimization by crime); and c) control variables (waiting time for police response, and sociodemographic factors). Although no significant effects were found on democracy as the best form of government, victimization increases the likelihood of wanting a firearm, favoring the death penalty, and supporting coups, while it reduces the satisfaction with democracy and trust in institutions. Therefore, the results confirm that crime not only favors public support for harsh measures to control it but also weakens democracy and its institutions.

초고령사회를 대비한 경찰의 고독사 대응현황과 과제

초고령사회를 대비한 경찰의 고독사 대응현황과 과제

A Review of the Evolution of the NCS-NCVS Police Reporting and Response Questions and Their Application to Older Women Experiencing Violent Victimization

Little attention is given to the history of the data that underlie research on crime trends and patterns. This article considers the evolution of the National Crime Victimization Survey’s (NCVS) police reporting and response questions. These questions are particularly important as the NCVS is the only nationally representative source of information on whether crime is reported to the police and citizen views of police actions. In addition, the current NCVS redesign is set to substantially add to these items. To provide a context for this discussion, this article applies the police reporting and response questions to an understudied victim group, specifically older women who experience violent victimization. This application illustrates the research opportunities and challenges for working with these data.

A Police Response Effort Index to complement counts and harm indices in understanding crime and policing demand

Responding to crime and non-crime policing demand in the increasingly complex policing environment calls for increasingly nuanced means of measuring demand. Complementing traditional crime counts, the recent development of crime harm indices provides one such means, whereby crimes are weighted by estimates of their harm or severity. Analysis using crime harm indices has shown that high harm victims, offenders, locations and times differ from the people and places that unweighted crime counts would highlight as a priority for police resource. However, crime harm indices apply only to crime, so they cannot be used to analyse both crime and non-crime demand, and harm is but one way of differentiating demand types. We therefore present an additional, complementary tool: the Police Response Effort Index (PREI). The PREI provides values for weighting crime and non-crime demand types by the amount of effort (time) typically involved during police’s initial response. It enables police to make decisions and target interventions with a more nuanced understanding of when, where and on whom police effort concentrates. This paper describes the development of the New Zealand PREI, providing a potential template for other jurisdictions.

Crime reporting and victim satisfaction with the police: a large-scale study among victims of crime in the Netherlands

ObjectivesThere is a rich body of research on how and why victims report crime to police, but little is known about the crime reporting process itself. This paper explores the relationship between victim satisfaction with the police after reporting crime and the various reporting channels victims used, as well as the subsequent police response.MethodsWe capitalize on a large-scale nationwide survey among victims in the Netherlands (N = 25,760). Using linear regression, we test how victim satisfaction with the police relates to the reporting channel used, follow-up contact by the police, and action taken by the police while controlling for type of crime, its impact on victims, their needs and their sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsThe model explains 38% of the variance in victim satisfaction. The crime reporting channel and subsequent police response to crime reports show largest effects. When victims had in-person conversations with the police, the police reported back to them, and took further action, victims were most satisfied.ConclusionsThis study shows the importance of how police operate during and after victims report a crime for their satisfaction with police. The results suggest that police may be able to positively affect victim satisfaction by taking relatively simple measures. More research is needed to test this hypothesis using (quasi)experimental designs.

Missing children, adolescents and young adults: the relationship between age first missing, subsequent missing person reports and other police-related contacts over a 10-year period

ABSTRACT It is well documented that children and young people are disproportionately represented in missing person reports, frequently as repeat cases. However, inconsistent definitions around age groupings have compromised our ability to compare across studies, or meaningfully synthesise the available evidence. This study sought to explore the relationship between age at first missing and police contacts in a sample of 2,125 Australian children (0–12 years), adolescents (13–17 years), and young adults (18–25 years) who went missing for the first time in 2005. Individuals were followed-up over a 10-year period using police records. A comparison of justice involvement across the three age groups revealed key differences in missing person episodes and other justice-related involvement. Collectively, the findings offer further insights into the characteristics and justice trajectories of young people who go missing to help inform further evidence-based, risk assessment and related police responses.

A spatial analysis of mental health-related calls for service in Atlantic City, New Jersey

ABSTRACT Objective Police officers often find themselves responding to calls that do not involve criminal behavior, but calls related to individuals experiencing emotional distress or mental illness that requires police response. This research aims to identify high-risk places of mental health calls for service (MHCFS) in an urban setting and compare place features of these locations by police response (locations where a CIT-trained officer is dispatched versus a non-trained officer dispatched). Data/Methods Our research uses Atlantic City Police Department’s calls for service data from 1 January 2019 through 30 December 2022, including the incidents of mental incompetence with location components. After removing the calls that were not coded as mental health, a total of 2229 incidents involving perceived mental illness were geocoded and compared. We used RTMDx software to generate risk terrain models for MHCFS in Atlantic City, NJ. Findings The RTM analysis yielded no association between places of interest and MHCFS for calls involving non-CIT-trained officers. Yet, we identified five high-risk activity spaces of MHCFS where officers with CIT training were involved. Grocery stores (RRV = 2.873), places of leisure (RRV = 2.764), Health & Wellness Facilities (RRV = 2.624), Eateries & Restaurants (RRV = 2.547), and Convenience & Variety Stores (RRV = 2.280) are the risk factors identified by the RTM analysis. Given the characteristics of places identified by risk-terrain modeling, we reason that the characteristics of these places indicate that individuals experiencing perceived or actual mental health problems hang out in spaces with ease of access and in spaces where they can stay relatively longer with minimal attention. Conclusion Our research suggests that there is an association between spatial factors and MHCFS that are responded to by CIT-trained officers. City officials should consider deploying additional resources and mental health staff to these places to address the issue of mental health in urban settings. Future research should consider testing whether the places we identified in our analysis are also high-risk places for MHCFS in other urban environments.

Police Responses to People Experiencing Homelessness

Using open-source (i.e., social media) data collection complemented by in-depth case studies, we present a typology of police responses to homelessness across the United States. We identified eight categories of discretionary police responses to homelessness. For several of our categories, we identified subcategories. We present and define each category in the typology and provide open-source examples for each discretionary response. The majority of responses are steeped in discretion and must be tailored to the local context. This work demonstrates that many police departments are innovative in their responses to people experiencing homelessness. While novel, this research can be used as a foundational resource to help guide law enforcement agencies in responding to people experiencing homelessness. It also lays the groundwork for future evaluation efforts that are needed to determine which police responses to homelessness produce positive outcomes or meet specified goals and which do not.

Instructors’ challenges facilitating mental health first aid training with law enforcement

ABSTRACT Following highly publicized incidents of police responses to individuals with a mental illness, policing executives attempt to placate public outcry by mandating mental health training. However, police training curriculums are not well-evaluated, especially pertaining to implementation challenges that may arise. Using interviews with certified Mental Health First Aid instructors (n = 18), this study explores challenges experienced when implementing and facilitating the training with law enforcement officers (LEOs). Thematic analysis identified four themes: 1) In general, LEOs are a difficult group to train; 2) LEOs and their agencies often have different expectations for training compared to other populations; 3) instructors must be knowledgeable surrounding LEO-specific state and local policies surrounding mental health responses; and 4) instructors lacking credibility with the LEO audience may find facilitating the training to be more challenging. Findings highlight the importance of carefully selecting both instructors and training participants when implementing mental health training.