We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of the Force Science Scholarship Awards. This award was created from a partnership between VirTra and the Force Science Institute, allowing twelve outstanding peace officers around the country to earn a scholarship to a five-day Force Science Certification Course in 2021. The peace officers chosen were from: Ames Police...Read More
In 2013, Force Science News shared the story of a Grover Beach (CA) police officer who was fired after attempting to use his Taser on a kidnapping suspect. After forcing entry into a garage, officers found the man sitting in a car with the baby in his arms. With only the light from his Taser...Read More
The demand for evidence-based policing continues to create unprecedented opportunities to develop and improve professional policing standards. In support of this mission, the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) reached out to Dr. Bill Lewinski and the Force Science Institute for the latest research in police skill development and decision-making....Read More
Body-worn cameras can’t replace an officer’s perceptions, but they can be extraordinarily valuable when they confirm the presence of weapons, capture resistance, and verify de-escalation attempts. What’s more, it is expected that the presence of cameras encourages people on both sides of the lens to be the best version of themselves as they interact. But...Read More
“I am concerned about excited delirium….” Minneapolis Officer describing George Floyd The recent release of court documents and body-cam footage surrounding George Floyd’s death predictably thrust Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExD) back into the news. Following George Floyd’s death, media outlets had already begun to revive the false, anti-police narrative that ExD is nothing more than...Read More
Cognitive dissonance: that terrible feeling you get when confronted with information that challenges your view of the world. You can ignore the new information, blindly accept it, or interrogate it. Look for distinctions between what you believed and what you are being told. If there are none, maybe you just learned something and can adjust...Read More
For the last half-century, the police profession has been defined by its commitment to constant and never-ending improvement. It seems that no matter the source of the latest theory, agencies across the country are willing to give it a try. Although most of us don’t stop to consider it, common police practices, including deterrent patrols,...Read More
As our nation continues to wrestle with police reform, many Americans are eager to join the conversation. What they are finding is that understanding and fairly judging police practices is not easy. Those of you with careers in criminal justice are likely fielding calls from friends and family wanting to know the difference between carotid...Read More
The nation collectively recoiled at the death of George Floyd. We were not prepared to watch a man suffer and die while officers held him down. In that moment, our country was unified. First, in disbelief. Then helplessness. Then outrage. For those who have seen arrests and medical emergencies handled thousands of times, this wasn’t...Read More
Following a high-intensity event, should officers be allowed to recover before being interviewed? In 2014, Dr. Bill Lewinski, executive director of the Force Science Institute, sat down with Force Science News1 to explain why he recommends a 48-hour minimum recovery period: “This is the general conclusion from some 20 years of scientific research on sleep...Read More
