Police Use Research Articles

Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia

Police are frequently the initial responders to situations involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. These situations sometimes escalate to the point where police resort to the use of force, resulting at times in injury and, less often, loss of life. This study draws on data from coronial inquest reports of cases involving police use of fatal force against persons with mental illness from one Australian jurisdiction. It examines the contextual factors leading up to these incidents, the personal backgrounds and mental health histories of the individuals in crisis, and the tactical approaches employed by police leading to the use of deadly force. Understanding these insights is crucial as they can potentially guide efforts to reform police practices in dealing with individuals in mental health crises and ultimately may help to prevent fatal outcomes.

The use of TikTok by the police

Police agencies continue to use social media platforms as part of their operations. Although previous research has explored the police's use of Twitter (now referred to as X), Facebook, and other platforms, no known research has explored the police's use of TikTok. As part of the present research, we conducted a content analysis of all TikTok videos posted by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) between January 2022 and June 2023 ( N = 96 videos). Our findings reveal that the VPD focused more on community-oriented content than law enforcement-oriented content in their videos. Our findings also reveal that many videos emphasized a networking strategy. Our research provides an empirical snapshot of how one police agency with a particularly popular TikTok account uses the platform. We highlight the relevance of our findings for research regarding policing and social media as well as policing practice.

Upaya Kepolisian Dalam Menanggulangi Tindak Pidana Pencurian Kendaraan Bermotor Roda Dua (Studi di Polsek Munte Kabupaten Karo)

This research aims to knowing how the police handle the crime of theft of two-wheeled motorized vehicles is the aim of this investigation (Study at the Munte Police). Munte Police, located in Singgamanik Village, Munte District, Karo Regency, North Sumatra, is the location for this research. Qualitative descriptive research methodology was used in this research. Five members of the Munte Police and two residents of Munte Village were the five research subjects in this study. Primary and secondary data are two types of data used in research. The data analysis method uses interactive analysis stages, including data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Based on the findings of the study, Munte Police use punitive and preventive measures in an effort to stop people from stealing two-wheeled motorized vehicles. The preventive efforts carried out by the Munte Police include integrating security with the community in the Munte District area, improving police performance through implementing a term evaluation system, and making banners that urge the public to be more careful and alert in all their actions. Munte Police conduct regular and sporadic raids in areas with high crime rates as part of its repressive measures, including by imposing punishments on perpetrators of theft of two-wheeled motorized vehicles. The Munte Police are making every effort to tackle the crime of two-wheeled motor vehicle theft that occurs in the Munte District area. The main aim is to reduce the quantity of these crimes and enable people to live safely and peacefully.

Police and researcher use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater agreement and examination of published norms.

Police and researcher use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater agreement and examination of published norms.

Supplemental Material for Police and Researcher Use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater Agreement and Examination of Published Norms

Supplemental Material for Police and Researcher Use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater Agreement and Examination of Published Norms

Partners in Force? Understanding Police Use of Force from a Network Perspective

Partners in Force? Understanding Police Use of Force from a Network Perspective

The impact of a brief and immersive use-of-force training exercise on citizens’ attitudes toward police

Purpose Citizens’ attitudes toward police (ATP) have declined dramatically in recent years, prompting many agencies to implement police–community relations programs designed to build back the community’s trust. Such programs are often time-intensive, requiring many hours to complete. The current study examined the impact of a brief (approximately 15 minutes) community relations intervention on citizens’ ATP and police use of force (UoF).Design/methodology/approach A sample of 104 citizens completed three UoF training exercises (i.e., the intervention) inside a video simulator at a municipal police department. Immediately before and after the intervention, citizens’ ATP and police UoF were recorded.Findings Despite having relatively favorable impressions of police at baseline, many attitudes grew to be more favorable following the intervention, including perceptions of job difficulty and the belief that police are treated too harshly by the media. While global impressions of the police did not change, citizens came to believe that greater UoF levels were warranted in specific types of encounters, such as when a suspect tries to strike an officer.Originality/value These findings suggest that providing citizens with an opportunity to experience UoF decision-making first-hand can positively impact certain ATP and police work. Law enforcement agencies may find that such brief, immersive interventions are useful tools for improving police–community relations.

Social and policy characteristics associated with injurious shootings by police in US counties: A multilevel analysis, 2015-2020.

From 2015 to 2020, shootings by police injured or killed 1769 people annually in the United States, disproportionately harming members of minoritized groups. Prior studies of the structural determinants of these inequities have largely examined state-level aggregations and fatal outcomes. This study aimed to: 1) describe state and county variation in fatal and nonfatal injurious shootings by police, and 2) analyze the relationship between state and county context and differences in county rates of injurious shootings by police. Injury data were developed from manual review of incidents listed in the Gun Violence Archive, then aggregated by county-year. Covariate selection was informed by theories of police use of force and the Social Basis of Disparities in Health conceptual framework. Fixed effects negative binomial regression models were estimated, nesting years within counties and states. Analyses controlled for county population, local reporting presence, and multiple measures of social conflict and community violence. From 2015 to 2020, 56% of counties experienced injurious shootings by police. Higher county rates of victimization were associated with greater state spending on police relative to health, county income inequality, prevalence of unmet substance use disorder needs, higher county firearm availability, and permitless concealed carry statutes. Firearm purchaser licensing polices were associated with lower incidence of injurious shootings by police. To prevent patterns of injurious shootings by police, policymakers should consider addressing undermanaged substance use disorder through crisis fund allocation and use, adopting stronger firearm licensing systems, and evaluating local strategies to combat inequities and strengthen non-policing responses to social needs.

Legal Regulation of the Use of Physical Force by Police Officers Under Martial Law

The legal regulation of the use of physical force by police officers is a critical issue in the system of public safety, particularly under martial law. In modern times, as countries face growing national security threats, the problem of ensuring that police use force both legally and appropriately becomes increasingly important. Martial law, which involves extraordinary measures by the state to protect its sovereignty and citizens, often grants law enforcement agencies expanded powers. These powers are intended to facilitate a quicker response to threats that may endanger both public order and national security. However, such expanded powers raise legal and ethical concerns regarding the boundaries of acceptable force. In the context of martial law, there is an urgent need to formalize the legal frameworks that govern the use of physical force by police officers. This includes not only national legislation but also international agreements that set standards for law enforcement conduct during crises. The complexity of maintaining public safety during military operations requires specific guidelines to ensure that law enforcement agencies act within the bounds of the law, while still effectively protecting citizens. This article focuses on analyzing how martial law affects the legal regulation of the use of force by police officers, using Ukraine as a case study. It highlights the key legislative challenges that have emerged in Ukraine since the introduction of martial law, such as ambiguities in the scope of police authority and gaps in existing regulations. Additionally, it offers recommendations for addressing these issues, emphasizing the need for clear and precise legal standards that balance public safety and the protection of human rights, even in times of crisis.

“You Don’t Need a Rocket Scientist to Figure Out What Could Happen”: Reasoning Practices in Police Use of Force Trials

Abstract Trials involving police as defendants are rare but are significant events that give insight into police violence and its adjudication. This article explores the reasoning practices through which court actors navigate the disjunctive accounts created by competing claims of “what happened” in a police shooting. The data is drawn from trial testimony of officers and “use of force experts” in police deadly force cases in the United States. We focus on use of force experts who use a veneer of science and police logic to assert particular visions of officer “reasonableness.” We suggest that the systems of reasoning that lawyers and witnesses use in these cases create accounts of police violence that conflict with mundane reasoning and challenge credibility. We show that the proliferation of different reasoning practices and the elaboration of a “police logic” serve to insulate officers from criticism and accountability—albeit, not always successfully.

Juror Decision-Making in a Case Involving Police Use of Force: The Impact of Defendant Race, Victim Race, and Victim Gender on Verdict and Perceptions

In recent years, cases of police use of force have been making headlines and sparked a global conversation about racial bias in policing. As such, the current study aimed to uncover how race and gender impact juror decision-making in a case involving mistaken identity by police. We hypothesized that mock-jurors would be more likely to assign guilty verdicts and have a more negative perception of the defendant when the defendant is White versus Indigenous, and when the victim is White and female. Mock-jurors (N = 229) read one of eight fictional trial transcripts, provided a dichotomous verdict, and responded to questions regarding their perceptions of the defendant and the victim. While there was no significant impact on the dichotomous verdict or continuous guilt, the mock-jurors had a significantly more favourable perception of the Indigenous defendant.

Law Enforcement Against Illegal Logging in The Jurisdiction of the Tejakula Buleleng Police Sector

The practice of illegal logging is generally carried out by individuals who have official permission from the government to carry out forest logging, such as holders of Forest Ruler Rights (HPH) concession permits, however, if it is further detailed, the perpetrators of illegal logging are organized groups. Law enforcement in overcoming the crime of illegal logging Tejakula Sector Police use 2 (two) means, namely: Penal efforts that focus more on the repressive nature, namely actions taken after the crime occurs with law enforcement and imposition of penalties for crimes that have been committed, and non-penal efforts, a countermeasure that focuses more on the preventive nature, namely actions in the form of prevention before the crime occurs. To solve the problems in this study, the research method is the type of normative legal research supported by conducting field observations with the interview process with the Tejakula Buleleng Sector Police Investigator. So the expected results in this study, the most substantial is the difference in interpretation in terms of administrative sanctions there is a blurring of legal norms in Article 18 paragraph (1) of Law Number 18 of 2013 concerning the prevention and eradication of forest destruction, because in its application or implementation sometimes there is overlap between the meaning of the sentence of the implementation of government coercion sanctions with administrative sanctions of forced money

Impacts and ethics of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the Indian Police

PurposeThe paper aims to examine the impacts and ethics of utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Indian policing. It explores both the positive and negative consequences of using AI, as well as the ethical considerations that have be taken into account.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on secondary sources of information, such as national and international reports, journal articles, and institutional websites that discuss the use of AI technology by the police in India.FindingsAI has proven to be effective in policing, from preventing crime to identifying criminals, by detecting potential crimes in advance with fewer resources and in more areas. In India, the police use AI technology not only for facial recognition but also for crime mapping, analysis, and building blocks. However, factors such as caste, religion, language, and gender continue to cause conflict. India has shown a strong interest in using AI technology for policing, and wishes to accelerate its implementation in various policing contexts, including law and order. This paper calls for an assessment of the complexities and uncertainties brought about by new technologies in policing with ethical considerations.Originality/valueThis paper can provide valuable insights for policy-makers, academics, and practitioners engaged in discussions and debates concerning the ethical considerations associated with the adoption of AI tools in policing practices.

Extreme Violence in Organizations: Investigating Police Use of Deadly Force

Extreme Violence in Organizations: Investigating Police Use of Deadly Force

University students’ accounts of police use of force: implications for trust in the police

ABSTRACT This empirical research explores the effect of police use of excessive force on university students’ trust in the police. Although the use of force by the police has continued to resonate in academic discourse, particularly from developed Western societies, the challenge is that there is a dearth of empirical research that precisely measures police use of excessive force among university students and how it shapes their trust in the police. The few existing studies were drawn from the general population survey, and they showed that the police in most African transitional societies tend to misuse their powers and are typically unaccountable to the public. From a survey data of participants delineated to a large public university in South Africa, this study specifically assessed the effect of direct experience of police abuse, vicarious experience of police abuse, experience of police corruption, and predatory policing on university students’ trust in the police. Findings confirmed, among others, that police use of excessive force (direct and vicarious experience of police abuse and predatory policing) significantly negatively affects students’ trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS). The implications of the findings for effective policing in the country are discussed.

Participant accounts of police violence during black lives matter protests in Chicago

ABSTRACT Black protest events in the United States have been characterised by police use of violence against protestors during periods, such as the widespread riots of the 1960s, when many white people and police see black people as posing a special danger to the status quo. It appears that the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd, which triggered widespread Black Lives Matter protests, is another such time. However, social scientific evidence that addresses the question of whether police responded with unnecessary violence to these black-led protests remains in short supply. In this study, we conducted a content analysis of protest participants’ federal court statements about their lived experience with police violence during Chicago, IL, protests. Their accounts suggest that police, rather than protestors, initiated violence and relied on it to control protestors in ways that violated Chicago Police Department policies and constitutional protections afforded citizens. Despite efforts to reform police management of protests over the last half century, our findings suggest that the historical pattern of police use of militaristic tactics and gratuitous violence to control black protest events persists today. We consider the implications of the findings for relations between the police and black communities.

‘I was having an anxiety attack and they pepper sprayed me': police apprehension in mental health contexts in Australia

ABSTRACT Police attendance in mental health contexts is often traumatic for the person in crisis, their family and first responders. Existing literature on police involvement in mental health responses tends to focus on police perspectives. Scholarship exploring lived experience perspectives is limited, yet is crucial for informing programmes, policies and reforms. We present findings from one of the first projects co-produced with people with lived experiences of being apprehended by police under mental health legislation. Interviews were conducted with twenty participants who had experience(s) of police apprehension across Australia. Findings highlight the social disadvantage experienced by participants prior to being apprehended and that use of force (such as tasering, pepper spraying and restraining in locked police vans) was common and over-used. Our study identified that police apprehension has lasting and wide-ranging impacts, leading to loss of employment, trauma, property damage, negative self-perceptions, discrimination, and fear of future police responses. Some participants were also apprehended by police while experiencing family violence and were misidentified as perpetrators. We argue police use of force mirrors the use of force within mental health services, with participants not experiencing a clear separation between police and mental health responses. The article shares participants’ ideas for change, including response models based on human rights, police non-attendance and peer-led initiatives. Our findings suggest the need for investment in alternatives to police responses and further research involving lived experience perspectives to inform out understanding of mental health crisis responses.

Racial Disparities in Civilian Response to Police Use of Force: Evidence From London

Abstract This study explores the impact of police use of force on civilian interactions with the police, focussing on neighbourhoods with different ethnic compositions across London. Analysing the effects of three notable police-induced civilian fatalities as well as monthly fluctuations in the Metropolitan Police Service’s use of force, I find a decrease in reported crime and the proportion of crime without a suspect in Black neighbourhoods. These patterns suggest avoidance of police engagement, especially for crimes less likely to be solved. Individual survey data suggests no changes in victimization probabilities for any ethnic group, suggesting that estimates are due to reporting behaviour.

Discretion in Police Use of Force Decision-Making: A Scoping Review

Discretion in Police Use of Force Decision-Making: A Scoping Review

Crowd reactions to the police use of force at the 2017 Phoenix Trump rally.

Crowd reactions to the police use of force at the 2017 Phoenix Trump rally.