Police and Deadly Force - A Look at the Empirical Literature (From Moral Issues in Police Work, P 197-235, 1985, Fredrick A Elliston and Michael Feldberg, ed. - See NCJ-99027)

• NCJ Number: 99038
• Author(s): W A Geller
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 39 pages
• Sale Source: Rowman and Allanheld Publishers
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This review of empirical research on the circumstances and victim characteristics of killings by police is the basis for recommending police policy changes designed to alter current police shooting patterns.

Abstract

Research on police shootings that occurred in the 1970's indicates that the majority of those shot were black, and a large proportion of the involved officers were off-duty at the time of the shooting. Black officers tend disproportionately to shoot and be shot at. As many as one-quarter of police shootings were found to be unjustified by police inquiries. Also, some police departments shot and killed suspects at a rate four times higher than that of other comparably sized departments. The findings point to the need for policy changes to alter shooting patterns. Departments might disarm off-duty officers, train officers to use their weapons more effectively, encourage the use of body armor and nonlethal weapons, and develop better community relations programs that will defuse hostility toward the police. Also, internal and public review of police shootings promises to reduce the number of police shootings, even though such investigations may be unpopular with rank-and-file officers and conservative politicians. Thirty-three references are listed.