Militarization and Non-Lethal Outcomes from Use of Force

• In Event: Police Use of Force

Abstract

Decisions surrounding the organization and implementation of law enforcement can have political and social consequences for communities. One such organizational characteristic is the degree of militarization. While some previous research examines whether increasing police militarization affects the frequency of police and public fatalities, these are rare events. In contrast, non-lethal force, including interactions that result in injuries, are more common. In spite of this, evaluations of police militarization overlook this outcome, largely because data are rarely standardized or made widely available. To address this gap, we use emergency department and hospital admissions data to examine the relationship between increasing police militarization and non-lethal physical harm.

Authors

• Steve Briggs, North Dakota State University

• Daniel Pemstein, North Dakota State University

• Layla Pilon, North Dakota State University