Eric Piza
Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Northeastern University
Key Findings
- Certain variables influence the use of force at a specific point in time, while others have an impact across multiple time periods.
- Variables related to authority maintenance and theoretical constructs were found to be the most influential.
- Police use of force often results from officers’ attempts to maintain authority over civilians during face-to-face encounters.
- Additional variables related to procedural justice, civilian resistance, and bystander presence were also found to significantly affect the timing of police use of force.
Description
In the article, “Situational factors and police use of force across micro-time intervals: A video systematic social observation and panel regression analysis,” Eric Piza and his co-authors examined police use of force by analyzing body cameras and detailing timing occurrences of physical and verbal interactions between police officers and participants. The findings suggest that certain variables influence the use of force at a specific point in time, while others have an impact across multiple time periods. Variables related to authority maintenance and theoretical constructs were found to be the most influential. Police use of force often results from officers’ attempts to maintain authority over civilians during face-to-face encounters. Additional variables related to procedural justice, civilian resistance, and bystander presence were also found to significantly affect the timing of police use of force. The data emphasizes the idea that the use of force is not a single decision but a result of a series of interactions between officers and subjects. This research can be used to better understand the situational factors and the cognitive shortcuts that influence an officer’s assessment of the need for force and their tactical responses. Limitations of this study include the constraints and sample size and call for further research to expand the understanding of police use of force, which the authors note can be further built on.