A Randomized-Controlled Trial of a Police Social-Interaction Training Program: Tact, Tactics, and Trust (T3)

• In Event: Police Training and Evaluation

Abstract

Police use of force has been in the national spotlight for the past few years and calls for reform often focus on improving police training. While many police use of force and de-escalation training programs exist, there have been virtually no evaluations regarding whether they achieve their desired outcomes. This presentation provides results from the officer pre- and post-test portion of our evaluation of a police social-interaction training program—Tact, Tactics, and Trust (T3). The analysis is based on a randomized-controlled trial conducted in two police agencies and funded by the National Institute of Justice. Our analysis focuses on whether the T3 training had an impact on officers’ attitudes toward the use of force and perceptions of citizen interactions. The presentation also considers the broader implications of the findings for police training and practice.

Authors

• Scott Wolfe, Michigan State University

• Kyle McLean, Florida State University

• Jeff Rojek, University of Texas at El Paso

• Mike Smith, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Geoff Alpert, University of South Carolina