NCJ Number
211320
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 74 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 8-13
Date Published
September 2005
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Although officers receive training in tactics and weapons intended to help them avoid injury or death in encounters with persons who resist being taken into custody, this article notes the absence of training in how officers should manage potentially adverse effects in the aftermath of the encounter.
Abstract
One effect of a violent encounter is an officer's writing of an incomplete report of the incident due to perceptual and memory distortion during the encounter. Officers should receive training in how to report critical incidents. They should be instructed to take sufficient time to gather their thoughts and have the benefit of legal counsel before submitting a report or participating in taped or recorded interviews. When the report is finally written, it should include only what the officer remembers and should not involve a reconstruction of events based on information from witnesses. Another subject for training pertains to the perspectives and responsibilities of law enforcement agencies and the media. Officers should be trained in what to expect from their agency and the media if they become involved in a use-of-force incident. Officers involved in a critical incident must be prepared for possible negative comments by the media and even their own agency. Officers should also be trained to recognize and even expect a range of mental and emotional reactions following the encounter, and strategies for managing these effects should be addressed. Training should deal with the long-term consequences of use-of-force incidents as well, such as recurring memories, drawn-out civil litigation, and extended counseling for stress management. Another issue that should be addressed in training involves the possible reactions of fellow officers, family members, friends, and neighbors and how an officer should respond to various reactions.