Police Use of Force Study Guide

Overview

  • This document explains how police use force, sharing findings from research and guidelines.

Chapter 11: Police Use of Force
Research Overview

  • Terrill (2001, 2003) looked at 3,544 police interactions:
      - 60% involved verbal warnings.
      - 10% featured pat-downs and handcuffs.
      - About 5% saw higher force levels.

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Report 2020

  • The BJS made a detailed report in 1995 to study how police use force.

  • Key Outcomes from 2020 Report:
      - 75% of people contacted by police during street stops didn’t face any enforcement.
      - Only 3% faced threats or nonfatal force during encounters from 2018-2020.

Demographic Disparities in Police Use of Force

  • Experiences of Force:
      - Black (6%) and Hispanic (3%) individuals experienced more use of force than white (2%) individuals.
      - Males (4%) are more likely to face police force compared to females (1%).
      - Young people aged 16 to 24 (4%) experienced force more than those aged 45 or older (2%).

  • About 31% of people think police force used is necessary, while 46% see it as excessive.

Definitions and Conceptual Clarifications

  • Use of Force: Police's permission to use force when needed.
      - Excessive Force: More force than necessary to control someone.
      - Unnecessary Force: Errors made during training or honest mistakes.
      - Brutality: Ongoing harsh behavior by police.

The Use of Force Continuum

  • Different levels of force police can use:
      - Officer Presence
      - Verbal Commands
      - Physical Control
      - Serious Physical Control
      - Impact Weapons
      - Tasers
      - Deadly Force

  • Real-life situations are rarely simple or easy to categorize.

Limitations and Challenges in Assessing Force

  • Limitations:
      - Actual threats can be hard to judge; situations vary greatly.
      - The “Twenty-One-Foot Rule” suggests threats exist within a specific range, without accounting for personal circumstances.

Psychological and Physical Impacts of Force

  • Bodily Force: Keeping movements minimal to avoid extra resistance, though this can lead to injuries.
      - Positional Asphyxia: Positioning that restricts breathing; officers should limit duration in such positions.

  • Deadly Force: Involves firearms, requires clear threats of harm, and officers undergo extensive training on lethal measures.

Use of Deadly Force Statistics

  • There’s heated debate about racial differences in police shootings:
      - Some argue African Americans and Hispanics face more shootings, while sources like the Washington Post state more white individuals get killed.

Current Research Findings

  • Fryer, R. G. (2019) found no racial differences in extreme use of force incidents, but 50% of African Americans and Hispanics saw some force used against them in police interactions.

Complex Considerations in Police Force Dynamics

  • Suicide by Cop: When individuals act in ways to provoke police shootings, making it difficult to judge intentions.

  • Deaths in Custody: Refers to deaths after an arrest, not during the pursuit.

Less Lethal Force Alternatives

  • Pepper Spray: Irritant that can restrict breathing, with less-lethal options like rubber bullets being less likely to be fatal.

  • Tasers: Can be dangerous, despite being seen as less lethal.

Officer Characteristics and Their Influence on Use of Force

  • Younger Officers tend to use force more than older, experienced officers, highlighting the importance of training.

  • Research shows an officer's race has little effect on their use of force; many factors are at play.

Factors Affecting Arrests and Use of Force

  • High-Crime Areas and Night Shifts: Officers working in crime-heavy areas during late shifts (9 PM to 3 AM) make more arrests, increasing force likelihood.

Cultural Aspects of Police Use of Force

  • Police Culture: The emphasis on toughness among police may shape how force is used; more research is needed.

De-Escalation Techniques

  • Focus on calming situations by:
      - Training officers to listen actively.
      - Using calm speech and respectful communication.

  • Research on the effectiveness of these techniques is limited.

Early Intervention Systems

  • Importance: Monitoring systems help:
      - Track officer behavior.
      - Spot problems early.
      - Ensure responsibility in force use.

Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs)

  • Benefits include:
      - Promoting police transparency.
      - Providing evidence for events.
      - Protecting against false complaints.
      - They may reduce instances of force.

  • Concerns:
      - Mixed results on effectiveness.
      - Questions around measuring success.

Policy Implications and Costs Associated with BWCs

  • Costs involve:
      1. Storage of footage.
      2. Tech for implementation.
      3. Security measures for footage.

  • Policies should consider:
      1. How long to keep recordings.
      2. When cameras should be activated during encounters.