Role of Officer Gender During Violent Confrontations With Citizens

• NCJ Number: 107114
• Author(s): S A Grennan
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 211 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: City University of New York - doctoral dissertation

Annotation

A total of 3,701 police-citizen confrontations in 1983 were examined to determine if female officers behaved differently than male officers during violent confrontations with citizens in New York City.

Abstract

Data were collected by the New York City Police Department using a report form on incidents involving assaults on officers and firearms discharges involving officers. The analysis of these report forms focused on officer gender, duty status, length of time in the department, prior firearms discharges, and the nature of the threat. Female officers behaved similarly to male officers in the handling of violent confrontations. There was no difference in the amount of injuries received by male and female officers in such incidents. Male officers were more likely to use firearms than female officers, and female officers, whether with a partner or alone, were apparently not reluctant to handle violent confrontations. An officer working alone who had a prior firearms discharge was much less likely to get injured than an officer working alone who had not had a prior firearms discharge. This research contradicts similar prior studies which have concluded that female officers were incapable of handling violent confrontation. 36 tables, appended data forms and study materials, and 140-item bibliography.