Overview of Police Use of Force
Date Published
March 5, 2020
Use of force
Police Use of Force
Broadly speaking, the use of force by law enforcement officers becomes necessary and is permitted under specific circumstances, such as in self-defense or in defense of another individual or group.
On this page, find links to articles, awards, events, publications, and multimedia related to police use of force.
Use of Force and Conducted Energy Devices
March 2012
Dr. Alpert discusses police use of force and conducted energy devices.
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Pepper Spray: Research Insights on Effects and Effectiveness Have Curbed Its Appeal
Date Published
May 2019
Agencies
NIJ
Understanding Sexually Abusive Clergy as a Unique Offender Subgroup: Risk-based Comparisons Across the Course of Offending
Date Published
January 2017
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Get to Know a LEADS Scholar — Q&A with Deputy Chief Christopher W. Ortiz
Date Published
January 26, 2019
LEADS Scholar Spotlight - American Society of Evidence-Based Policing
October 2018
Joshua Young, a retired corporal of the Ventura Police Department in California and Class of 2015 Scholar of NIJ’s Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Program, discusses the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, which encourages the use of data and research to inform policing. He also talks about a randomized control trial he conducted on body-worn cameras and the support he has received from the LEADS program.
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NIJ's 50th Anniversary - Looking Back, Looking Forward
August 2018
Series
NIJ’s 50th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on how far the Institute has come, as well as its direction and priorities moving forward. In this Research for the Real World event, panelists will speak to the history and future of the Institute, drawing from decades of experience working for and closely with NIJ. Two Former NIJ Directors will reflect on their days heading the agency and their observations on how the agency has changed over time.
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Evidence-Based Policing: The Importance of Research and Evidence
July 2018
Series
NIJ’s two Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science programs encourage law enforcement officers and agencies to use data and research to inform their policies and practices. This panel convened leading practitioners and researchers to discuss evidence-based policing for an audience that includes the next generation of U.S. policing leadership. Panelists come from a variety of backgrounds and will draw from on-the-ground experience to discuss evidence-based policing as it relates to law enforcement training curriculums, practitioner-led trials, research clearinghouses, and other topics.
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Notes From the Field: A Three-Part Approach to Civil Disturbance
Date Published
February 2018
Agencies
NIJ
A Three-Part Approach to Civil Disturbance
Date Published
February 20, 2018
The Las Vegas Body-Worn Camera Experiment: Research Summary
Date Published
November 2017
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
The Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras: New Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Date Published
September 2017
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Improving officer decision-making: Can personality predict outcomes in use of force decisions?
2017-R2-CX-0030
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2017
$432,159
Officers' and Community Members' Evaluations of Police-Civilian Interactions
2017-IJ-CX-0013
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2017
$31,980
Tim Donohoe
Title
Commander (Retired); 2017 NIJ LEADS Law Enforcement Officer
From The Director: NIJ's Role in Strengthening Policing Science - Part II
Date Published
August 2016
Agencies
NIJ-Sponsored
Understanding the Effects of Fatigue on Law Enforcement
May 2017
Steven James (Assistant Research Professor, Washington State University, College of Medicine) and Lois James (Assistant Professor, Washington State University, College of Nursing) discuss research on how fatigue and sleep deprivation affect officers when they make critical decisions to use deadly force. The researchers also discuss how often law enforcement officers are fatigued, the impacts of officer fatigue and drowsy driving, and the goal of implementing positive changes.
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