Jannie Noppe

Are all police officers equally triggered? A test of the interaction between moral support for the use of force and exposure to provocation

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to investigate the interplay between moral support for the use of force and exposure to provocative settings in explaining individual differences in self-reported use of force by the police. In the police literature, the relationship between a suspect’s behaviour and police use of force has often been scrutinised. Those studies conclude that a suspect’s resistance is a key predictor of police use of force. In this article, we start from a different theoretical approach towards the study of police use of force based on one of the main principles of Wikström’s situational action theory (SAT). We examine the extent to which a police officer’s self-reported use of force can be explained by the main and interactive effects of moral support for the use of force and exposure to provocative settings. Our findings provide some evidence for SAT, and indicate that the effect of exposure to provocative settings is especially strong among police officers who score highly on moral support for the use of force.

Using force : experiences of Belgian police officers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the type of force that is most frequently used by Belgian police officers in their daily activities, and to examine the individual and contextual triggers that result in using force. Design/methodology/approach First, the results of an online survey of police officers in three Belgian local police zones are presented. Second, qualitative data are used to gain more insight into the factors, individual as well as contextual, that influence the decision to use force. Findings The survey results indicate that the officers in the sample rarely use force. When force is used, the type of force used is typically situated on the lower end of the continuum (verbal and physical force without a weapon). The interview data suggest that suspect resistance, the behaviour of the suspect in general and the character and personality of the police officer have an influence on the use of force. Practical implications The authors conclude that police officers should be provided not only with training on typical situations, but also with training to handle unpredictable cases, as well as individual coaching and aftercare. Increased transparency and reporting of the use of force and evolutions thereof could provide basic information to develop training, coaching and aftercare. Originality/value Although there has been plenty of academic attention given to the factors that determine proper use of force by the police, most research in this field is based on police experiences abroad (such as in the USA).