Officer Use of Deadly Force in Domestic-related Incidents: A Comparative Analysis

• In Event: Domestic and Family Violence Related Deaths

Abstract

Whether domestic-related disturbances are more dangerous for officers than other types of incidents is unclear. Some researchers have reported that domestic incidents account for a notable number of officer deaths (e.g., Kercher et al., 2013; Breul & Keith, 2016) and are more likely to involve suspect resistance (MacDonald et al, 2003). Others argue that the relatively high rate of officer injury and death in domestic-involved incidents simply reflects the higher frequency of these calls. Research has consistently found, however, that officers often perceive domestic-related calls to be more dangerous (Standford & Mowry, 1990), and these preconceived notions about their dangerousness could affect use of force decisions. Understanding more about how officers respond to domestic-related cases has implications for police training, but it may also explain why some domestic violence victims who need immediate crisis intervention never contact the police. This study examines differences between justifiable homicides involving domestic-related precipitating events and those that do not using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). We employ bivariate and multivariate analyses to identify whether domestic-related justifiable homicides are more likely to involve factors associated with officer use of force, including alcohol and substance use and presence of weapons.

Authors

• Megan Alderden, DePaul University

• Kayla Freemon, DePaul University