Reasonability-of-force assessments mediate the link between police experience and use-of-force decision making

We examined if experienced officers use less and lower levels of force than less-experienced officers due to differences in reasonability-of-force assessments. Officers observed body-camera videos involving use-of-force, indicated their course of action, and the extent to which several factors were relevant in determining appropriate use-of-force. Experienced officers were more likely to use verbal commands and less-experienced officers were more likely to use less-lethal and lethal force. This was mediated by available force mitigation opportunities, nearby weapons, and the subject’s likelihood of escape. Results inform the skills involved in and training that reinforces expert use-of-force decision making performance.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
The Police Journal Theory Practice and Principles
Published
2025-09-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258x251379229
Primary Topic
Policing Practices and Perceptions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Reasonability-of-force assessments mediate the link between police experience and use-of-force decision making

Wiktoria M. Pedryc, Esther DeCero, Leah Wright, Isabel C Krupica et al.
The Police Journal Theory Practice and Principles
Policing Practices and Perceptions
article

Reasonability-of-force assessments mediate the link between police experience and use-of-force decision making

Wiktoria M. Pedryc, Esther DeCero, Leah Wright, Isabel C Krupica, Joel Suss, Sophie D Rasof, Carolynn Boatfield, Xinyu Wang, Brian Lande, Vivian P. Ta, Amelie Motzer, Xin Yu, Isabella M. Swafford, Ceanna Loberg, Nilufar Imomdodova, Matías Fonolla, Zuzana Smilnakova
article en

Abstract

We examined if experienced officers use less and lower levels of force than less-experienced officers due to differences in reasonability-of-force assessments. Officers observed body-camera videos involving use-of-force, indicated their course of action, and the extent to which several factors were relevant in determining appropriate use-of-force. Experienced officers were more likely to use verbal commands and less-experienced officers were more likely to use less-lethal and lethal force. This was mediated by available force mitigation opportunities, nearby weapons, and the subject’s likelihood of escape. Results inform the skills involved in and training that reinforces expert use-of-force decision making performance.

The Police Journal Theory Practice and Principles
Lake Forest College (US), Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (US), Loyola University Chicago (US), Wichita State University (US), Calgary Laboratory Services (CA), Construction Solutions (United States) (US), The University of Texas at San Antonio (US), Columbia University (US), Temple University (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 70%
Policing Practices and Perceptions
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Reasonability-of-force assessments mediate the link between police experience and use-of-force decision making — Wiktoria M. Pedryc, Esther DeCero, et al. · The Police Journal Theory Practice and Principles (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS