Wait for Backup or Not? How Police Officers View Their Role When Responding to an Active Shooter Event

Police officers overwhelmingly support immediate entry into active shooter scenes when a clear driving force (i.e., gunfire or wounded victims) is present. Officer decisions align with modern active shooter training that emphasizes the Priority of Life Scale, with civilian life as the main priority, then officers, and lastly, the suspect. The presence of a driving force dramatically increases the perceived appropriateness of immediate entry, up to 80 times more likely. Officers are more cautious about immediate entry when no clear threat is present, opting to wait for backup or assess further. Results counter earlier research suggesting officers hesitate to act and instead show that officers' beliefs match public expectations for rapid intervention.