Moving beyond "Best Practice": Experiences in Police Reform and a Call for Evidence to Reduce Officer-Involved Shootings. Issue 1 (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Engel, Robin S.; McManus, Hannah D.; Isaza, Gabrielle T.
• Other Names: Sherman Lawrence W. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Volume 687:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 146
• Page End: 165
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: evidence-based policing -- police shootings -- use of force -- police reform; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- United States -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716219889328
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7162

Abstract

In post-Ferguson America, police departments are being challenged to implement evidence-based changes in policies and training to reduce fatal police-citizen encounters. Of the litany of recommendations believed to reduce police shootings, five have garnered widespread support: body-worn cameras, de-escalation training, implicit bias training, early intervention systems, and civilian oversight. These highly endorsed interventions, however, are not supported by a strong body of empirical evidence that demonstrates their effectiveness. Guided by the available research on evidence-based policing and informed by the firsthand experience of one of the authors in implementing departmental reforms that followed the fatal shooting of a civilian by an officer, this article highlights promising reform strategies and opportunities to build the evidence base for effective use-of-force reforms. We call upon police executives to engage in evidence-based policing by scientifically testing interventions, and we call on academics to engage in rapid research responses for critical issues in policing.