Police Officer Characteristics and the Likelihood of Using Deadly Force

Abstract

Past research on police shootings, when examining officer characteristics, has focused on the officer's race, particularly when it is not the same as the race of the person shot. Data from 186 officer-involved shootings were used to examine whether race effects existed and, if so, would be eliminated or attenuated by controlling for officer gender, education, age, and history of shooting. Male officers were more likely to shoot than female officers, and college-educated officers were less likely to be involved in shootings than officers with no college education. Risk of officer-involved shooting was reduced as the officer aged. White, non-Hispanic officers were more likely to shoot than Hispanic officers; however, there was no significant difference between Hispanic and Black officers. Officers with a previous history of shooting were more than 51% as likely to shoot during the follow-up period as officers without a history of shootings.

An exploration of crime by policewomen

“…Previous studies show male officers are more likely to be charged with serious misconduct (Timmins & Hainsworth, 1989), engage in more use of force (McElvain & Kposowa, 2008;Peak & Glensor, 1996;Rabe-Hemp, 2008a, 2008b, and are subject to more citizen complaints (Hickman, Piquero, & Greene, 2000;Waugh, Ede, & Alley, 1998). Fyfe and Kane (2006) found male New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were more likely to be fired for bribery, but found no other differences in other profit-oriented misconduct.…”

Police management of mental health crisis situations in the community: status quo, current gaps and future directions

“…The contradiction here, of course, is that the level (or years) of experience is commonly considered to be a protective factor in police work and mental health (Lowe et al 2003, McElvain andKposowa 2008). For example, research has reported that more experienced police officers are less likely to arrest or use force on people experiencing mental illness; similarly, more experienced nurses tend to utilise less restrictive strategies (Lowe et al 2003, Mcelvain andKposowa 2008).…”

“…For example, research has reported that more experienced police officers are less likely to arrest or use force on people experiencing mental illness; similarly, more experienced nurses tend to utilise less restrictive strategies (Lowe et al 2003, Mcelvain andKposowa 2008). In terms of mental health, Lowe and colleagues (2003) suggest that more experienced nurses may have greater confidence what might enable them to perceive the patients' behaviour as not so alarming, or they may have a more established therapeutic relationship with them, and therefore still effectively use de-escalation and communication methods (Paterson et al 1997).…”

Toward an Analytical Framework for the Study of Race and Police Violence

“…Garcia and Johnston‐Guerrero () find similar campus experiences and classroom manifestations of racism across the nation. Police bias based on unwarranted threat perception may prompt the use of excessive force in situations that involve both police discretion and prejudice (Friedrich ; McElvain and Kposowa ). However, this situated kind of abuse of power has many formative sources, as we have consistently noted.…”