Officer Involved Shootings: The Effect of Delay on Police Officers’ Memory for Stressful Events

• In Event: Critical Issues in 21st Century Policing

Abstract

Psychological research and real-world experiences inform us that officers’ recall of ‘officer involved shootings’ is often distorted. However, there is debate as to the best time to interview officers to ensure the best recall, with memory potentially affected by the immediate stress of the situation but also vulnerable to decay and contamination. This study aimed to test the effect of delay and repeated questioning on memory for officer involved shootings. Ninety officers experienced an ‘active armed offender’ scenario as part of their training. All then completed a series of cognitive tests followed by a survey to test their memory of the incident. Half of the officers completed these tests immediately after the scenario and again two days later; the other half completed the tests only two days later. This presentation discusses the effect of the timing of recall (immediate or delayed) on memory for the shooting event; the effect of repeated questioning on memory for the shooting event, and; the relationship between general memory/cognitive capacity and memory of the shooting event. This knowledge assists understanding of the limitations of information provided under different interviewing conditions.

Authors

• Louise Porter, Griffith University

• Justin Ready, Griffith University

• Geoffrey Alpert, University of South Carolina