SWAT and non-SWAT police officers and the use of force

Williams, Jimmy J.; Westall, David

doi:10.1016/s0047-2352(03)00051-5

Cited by 45 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Fisher [21] claims SWAT teams are an unnecessary and excessive resource whose existence is fueled by the "war on drugs", political agendas and overly zealous law enforcement officials. However, Williams and Westall [6] could not establish a statistically significant difference between SWAT and non-SWAT officers in the use of force when those SWAT officers were not attached to a SWAT unit. The findings indicate SWAT training and culture do not make for a more aggressive, over-zealous officer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The firepower and level of violence of criminals has increased and as a result many law enforcement agencies have formed SWAT teams [3][4][5][6]. The creation of SWAT teams has proliferated to the degree that efforts have been made to standardize their practices [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The creation of SWAT teams has proliferated to the degree that efforts have been made to standardize their practices [7,8]. SWAT units were first developed following the sniper shootings at the University of Texas in 1966 with LAPD forming the first team and gaining notoriety with high profile shoot-outs with the Black Panthers in 1969 and the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974 [4,6,[9][10][11][12]. Selection to SWAT is competitive, training is rigorous, teamwork is essential, exacting tactics are critical, and peaceful resolutions to situations preferred [3,4,13,14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the academic, peer-reviewed literature, there is little work on SWAT proper [5,6] and no work, specifically, on SWAT use of deadly force. However, Klinger and Rojek [42] did produce a report for the U.S. Department of Justice that addresses the topic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SWAT Operations and Deadly Force: A Comparison of National Data with the Dorner Case

López¹

2014

Social Crimonol

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This study examines the case of ex-Los Angeles Police officer Christopher Dorner comparing it with national data on Special Weapons and Tactic (SWAT) operations. Emphasis is on the final confrontation between Dorner and SWAT. The inquiry seeks to expand what is known on SWAT use of deadly force. Qualitative data from media accounts and a law enforcement dispatch log is fused with quantitative data on SWAT from both the Multi-Method Study of Police Special Weapons and Tactics Teams in the United States, 1986-1998 and a related report to the U.S. Department of Justice. Chi-square tests of significance were applied. Results found Dorner possessed and used weapons common to SWAT suspects, SWAT and Dorner used deadly force, he was barricaded, and he committed suicide. Statistical significance was found for the following; SWAT uses deadly force more often than suspects, narcotics warrant suspects are fired upon by SWAT more than in other types of incidents, and hostage takers are fired upon less than in other types of incidents. Aspects of the case share commonalities with SWAT incidents nationally. Analysis of SWAT use of deadly force found narcotic warrant suspects are at risk for being fired upon by SWAT with hostage-takers less so.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SWAT Operations and Deadly Force: A Comparison of National Data with the Dorner Case

López¹

2014

Social Crimonol

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“…More common are explanations that emphasise the specific influence of the police culture, especially its glorification of violence [4,5,36]. Specialist squads are thought to be particularly prone to developing a violent sub-culture [37], but this is not supported by other evidence [38].…”

Section: Disposition or Situation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Singing the same tune? International continuities and discontinuities in how police talk about using force

Waddington

Adang

Baker

et al. 2008

Crime Law Soc Change

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Policing and Critical Incident Teams

Gallo

2009

Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science

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Police calls for service occasionally require the police to resolve high‐threat or special‐threat situations such as barricaded suspects, hostage situations, drug raids, or warrant services. The need for police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams to use special weapons and force tactics to handle these dangerous police callouts has become popular among American law enforcement agencies. This article discusses some common legal risks associated with deploying SWAT teams to handle particular police calls for service. The adequacy of a SWAT team and its training in particular uses of special weapons and tactics may give rise to a legal action when the team fails to train in the proper use of issued equipment and use of force tactics. When a SWAT team uses force, its choices must be “objectively reasonable.” In cases of alleged use of excessive force, criminal and civil liability can attach itself in the form of a team's wrongful actions under Titles 18 and 42 of the US Code, respectively. There are legal risks surrounding the intervention of a SWAT team to control and overcome hostage takers where the main concern is the protection of human life and the avoidance of hostage and bystander injuries. As when there is a need to determine “reasonableness” in other police use of force litigation, forensic experts, experienced law enforcement officers with leadership and experience credentials, are often needed to provide opinion testimony.

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SWAT and non-SWAT police officers and the use of force

Cited by 45 publications

References 3 publications

SWAT Operations and Deadly Force: A Comparison of National Data with the Dorner Case

SWAT Operations and Deadly Force: A Comparison of National Data with the Dorner Case

Singing the same tune? International continuities and discontinuities in how police talk about using force

Policing and Critical Incident Teams

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