Understanding the Use of Deadly Force and Firearms Against the Police

• In Event: Violence Against the Police

Abstract

The current study examines the links between violent crime rates and officer risk for injury and death associated with firearms. We first combine five years of data from two national databases (LEMAS and UCR) to identify agencies and jurisdictions where officers are at higher risk of becoming a victim of firearms-related violence. We then match those agencies, on population and mean homicide rates over a five year period, with agencies where officers were at lower risk of becoming the victim of firearms-related violence. Finally, we explore variability in how the high and low risk agencies train officers to respond to a range of high risk events/scenarios using the results of an online survey.

Authors

• Joseph B. Kuhns, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Diana Dolliver, University of Alabama

• Emily Bent, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Edward R. Maguire, American University