Assessing the Influence of Active Bystandership Training in Law Enforcement: Surveys on Officer Perceptions and Beliefs

• In Event: Intervention & Prevention Approaches to Minimize Police Violence

Abstract

Police officers play a pivotal role in mitigating misconduct and mistakes through peer interventions. Georgetown Law’s Center for Innovations in Community Safety (CICS) established the Active Bystandership Law Enforcement (ABLE) training program to foster a culture of active bystandership among law enforcement, equipping officers with peer intervention skills. By January 2024, CICS collected 36,647 pre-training surveys and 28,443 post-training surveys and conducted a preliminary analysis of officers' perceptions, beliefs, and readiness for intervention. Using linked pre-post data, we conducted descriptive analyses, subgroup comparisons, and t-tests to identify response patterns and measure change over time. Results revealed generally strong response and completion rates, and that after the training officers reported an increased understanding, awareness, and support for active bystandership. Findings have informed CICS’s survey revisions and implementation strategies, and future in-depth analysis plans. By shedding light on the efficacy of peer intervention initiatives within law enforcement, this study contributes to the discourse on proactive engagement to prevent harm. Strengthening peer interventions among officers can foster a safer and more accountable policing environment.

Authors

• Cassandra Ramdath, Georgetown University

• Miranda Xiong, Center for Innovations in Community Safety (Georgetown Law)

• Fatoumata Ceesay, Center for Innovations in Community Safety (Georgetown Law)