NCJ Number
64913
Journal
Schriftenreihe der Polizei - Fuehrungsakademie Volume: 6 Issue: 4, Dated: (1979) Pages: 299-305
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ASSAULTS ON POLICEMEN OCCUR ARE ANALYZED IN THIS WEST GERMAN PILOT STUDY.
Abstract
IN PREPARATION FOR A RESEARCH STUDY DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE REASONS FOR THE GROWING NUMBER OF ASSAULTS ON POLICEMEN, THE POLICE MANAGEMENT ACADEMY SENT QUESTIONNAIRES TO FEDERAL AND STATE POLICE AGENCIES REQUESTING INFORMATION ON ALL POLICEMEN WHO, IN 1977, HAD HAD TO MISS MORE THAN 7 DAYS OF WORK AS A RESULT OF AN ASSAULT INJURY. THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF 693 QUESTIONNAIRES (COVERING NEARLY ALL CASES THAT YEAR) REVEALED THAT NEARLY 60 PERCENT OF THE INJURIES OCCURRED IN CITIES ABOVE 100,000 INHABITANTS, THE MOST FREQUENT LOCATION BEING PUBLIC STREETS AND SQUARES. ASSAULTS TENDED TO OCCUR ON WEEKENDS (15 PERCENT OF ALL CASES ON FRIDAY, 24 PERCENT ON SATURDAY, AND 15 PERCENT ON SUNDAY) AND FREQUENTLY DURING THE NIGHT. WITH REGARD TO THE IMMEDIATE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENSE, 88.4 PERCENT OF THE POLICEMEN WERE ON PATROL WEARING THEIR UNIFORMS. THE ASSAULTS OCCURRED MOST OFTEN DURING IDENTITY CHECKS, ARRESTS, INTERFERENCE IN FIGHTS, AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF AN OFFENDER TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION (E.G., TO HAVE A BLOOD TEST TAKEN). MOST OF THE ASSAULTS OCCURRED BEFORE WITNESSES; IN ONLY 3.7 PERCENT OF THE ATTACKS WERE THERE NO OTHER PERSONS PRESENT. ALMOST 50 PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS WERE BELOW THE AGE OF 30 AND HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR AN AVERAGE OF 11 YEARS. THE OFFENDERS (98 PERCENT MALES, 67 PERCENT UNDER THE AGE OF 30) USUALLY ACTED ALONE; 14.1 PERCENT WERE FOREIGNERS. THE RESULTS LEAD TO THE HYPOTHESIS THAT POLICEMEN NEED TO DEVELOP BETTER TECHNIQUES FOR DEALING WITH THE EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE AND OFTEN INTOXICATED POTENTIAL ATTACKERS. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)