Heart rates are frequently used to measure stress levels in actual and simulated police operations.1 Understanding that increased heart rates can result from elevated stress, the question has long been whether elevated heart rates mean that decision-making and performance will suffer. By now, regular readers of Force Science News know the answer to this question....Read More
“Common sense dictates that in situations where a law enforcement officer has a suspect in their rifle sight, the officer could pull the trigger before any suspect could move a gun toward the officer or another, aim and fire.”1 Pulled from a recent legal filing, the above quote is probably a fair characterization of “common...Read More
At Force Science, we periodically hear that perception and reaction time might apply to drivers, athletes, and pilots, but it does not apply to highly trained police officers when facing lethal threats. The theory, as I understand it, is that police officers have undergone specialized training that allows them to intensely focus on an armed...Read More
Sports Scientist and Epidemiologist, Erik Hein, author of Frontline Training and expert in Danger and Violence Control for police, sat down with Force Science’s Dr. Bill Lewinski for a two-part video interview. Starting with some of Dr. Lewinski’s latest research into the startle response and police performance, the interview went on to tackle a broad...Read More
In 2013, Force Science published the “Traffic Stop Study,” in which researchers assessed the relative safety of driver-side and passenger-side approaches by officers. During the research, the officers’ reactions were observed in response to an unexpected, simulated firearm assault. Researchers were able to measure the amount of time officers from various positions alongside the car...Read More
On any given fall Saturday, Daniel Richard may be found officiating in one of fourteen historic Big Ten football stadiums. Ranging from Piscataway, New Jersey, to Lincoln, Nebraska, Daniel, a Head Line Judge, joins a team of eight officials charged with safeguarding the integrity of each game. To perform at this level, these officials must...Read More
How fast can someone point, shoot, and turn to run? In 2000, Force Science began to answer these questions when they published a summary of their research into the speed at which people can shoot and turn from various positions.1 This legacy Force Science research continues to provide some of the most influential human performance...Read More
It is well-settled that a police officer’s use of force must be reasonable. It is equally well-established that reasonableness is to be judged from the perspective of the officer on the scene. This “on scene” perspective properly requires agencies and courts to consider the influences that emotional arousal and stressors, like time compression, may have...Read More
Originally published at Law Officer. Republished here with permission. With 30 years in law enforcement (and as a voracious advocate for training), there isn’t much I haven’t seen. Unfortunately, through the years, I have walked away disappointed from highly touted training courses more times than I care to count. So, when the opportunity came to...Read More
Research: Visual Focus – What, Where, When, and How? Research has found that attentional control, including recognizing and visually focusing on relevant information, is a key to successful athletic performance in complex and dynamic competitions. Similarly, research has found that attentional control can positively influence police officers’ emotional regulation and improve tactical decision-making. Without an...Read More
