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External Reviews of Police Use of Deadly Force. David A. Klinger Senior Research Scientist Police Foundation, Washington, DC and Associate Professor, UMSL. Importance Of Issue. Deadly force is ultimate police power Officer safety Community concerns Organizational legitimacy Internal
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External Reviews of Police Use of Deadly Force David A. Klinger Senior Research Scientist Police Foundation, Washington, DC and Associate Professor, UMSL
Importance Of Issue • Deadly force is ultimate police power • Officer safety • Community concerns • Organizational legitimacy • Internal • External • Local Government • State Government • Federal Government • Litigation
Reasons for External Review • People inside organization have myopia • Internal reviewers often lack: • Internal legitimacy • External legitimacy • External reviewers typically have: • Broader vision of issues at hand • More expertise (because they focus on specific issue) • Greater external legitimacy, • and (sometimes) greater internal legitimacy • Independence from power structure (agency and relevant government entity) • External can thus give unvarnished assessment
Types of External UOF Reviews • Specific Cases • Robert Baldwin (SPD SWAT OIS) • Cobb County (2 officers murdered) • Nathaniel Jones (Cincinnati in-custody death) • Specific Units • Albuquerque SWAT • LAPD SWAT • Entire Agency • Portland • Denver
Types of Reviews (continued) • Boundaries between 3 types not clear-cut • Single cases often kick off broader inquiry • Can be of unit (Baldwin) • Can be of agency (Rodney King) • Unit inquiries often rooted in specific cases and can look at agency writ large • Entire agency review will often look at specific cases (Denver and Portland) • Whatever sort, virtually always broader, agency level issues are addressed
Issues Typically Addressed • Agency UOF policy • Breadth, scope, and particular provisions • Agency UOF review practices • Investigations, case review process, tracking • Scene management • Training & Qualification • Practices, policy, tactics • Case patterns: Both positive and negative
Methodology: Part 1 • Review policy statements • UOF guidelines • UOF investigations • UOF review process • Review practices • UOF training • UOF investigations • UOF review process • Review incidents
Methodology: Part 2 • Review policy statements • Simply read and compare to models • Review practices • Read case files and correspondence re: cases • Interview trainers, investigators, folk in review loop • Interview line officers (they blow less smoke) • Incident review • Look for patterns of good/bad • Tactics • Communication • Firearms discharges • Repeat Individuals
Conclusion • There is much to learn from outsiders • ID problems • ID strengths • Outsiders can provide legitimacy • External • Internal • Various sources • Consulting firms (PARC, Rand) • Associations (NTOA, IACP) • Independent research groups (Police Foundation) • Individual vendors (University prof’s, retired LEO’s)
Thanks for having me here Professor David Klinger Senior Research Scientist The Police Foundation 1201 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 202-721-9779 dklingerd@policefoundation.org www.killzonevoices.com