Abstract
Historically, police use of deadly force has attracted a great deal of attention and this is reflected in the literature of law enforcement. The attention given to the topic of deadly force is indeed justified when one considers its moral and legal implications. Researching police use of deadly force is difficult due to the relative infrequency of the incidents and the sensitivity of the subject matter. Some studies in the past have focused on incidents in which the officers were killed in the line of duty. Unfortunately, these studies lack important information that could be obtained by studying officers who have survived a deadly force incident. The present case study utilizes data from 49 purposeful firearm discharges within one law enforcement agency over an 11 year period. A descriptive analysis is given of the circumstances at the scene and of the officers and suspects involved in each incident. Finally, a recommendation is made to impose a more systematic and standardized process for law enforcement personnel to collect information on deadly force incidents for future comparisons.
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FitzGerald, S.C., Bromley, M.L. Surviving deadly force encounters: A case study. J Police Crim Psych 13, 25–35 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02806710
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02806710