The dominant goal of citizen police academy programs is to get civilians to walk a mile in an officer’s boots. Thanks to the creativity of Force Science Analyst Steven Goard, those who attend the academy conducted by the Livermore (CA) PD walk an important extra mile—through the landmines of a simulated OIS investigation that tests...Read More
You are confronting an armed suspect, no cover available. He faces you, with his gun at his side, pointed at the ground. Your gun is aimed at him and you’re ready to shoot. He ignores your commands to drop his weapon. Are you justified in pulling the trigger before he makes any move to point...Read More
The latest study by the Force Science Institute has produced 2 surprising findings of importance to trainers, street officers, and police attorneys: Some suspects lying flat with hands hidden under chest or waist can produce and fire a gun at an approaching officer faster than any human being on earth can react to defend himself;The...Read More
A new look at why officers often fire controversial “extra” shots after a threat has ended has been published by an independent shooting reconstructionist and certified Force Science analyst. Researcher Alexander Jason reports that even under benign experimental conditions brain programming compels roughly 7 out of 10 officers to keep discharging rounds after being signaled...Read More
One of the most dangerous positions a suspect can assume on the ground is prone with his hands tucked under his body, either at chest or waist level. What’s hidden in those hands? And if it’s a gun, how fast can he twist and shoot if you’re approaching him? This month [1/09], the Force Science...Read More
Don’t have the money for a bells-and-whistles training simulator? Don’t have the time for realistic live role-playing? Despair not! If you have paper and pencils and a reality-based imagination, you can still prepare your officers to react immediately with good decisions in life-or-death crises, according to Dr. Laura Zimmerman, a research psychologist whose insights into...Read More
Three studies that will explore certain subtleties of force encounters in hopes of improving safety on the street are underway at the Force Science Research Center at Minnesota State University-Mankato. One is expected to provide insights into a phenomenon that has not previously been analyzed in detail, says FSRC’s executive director, Dr. Bill Lewinski. That’s...Read More
Does your agency encourage you to nap on duty? Probably not. But your department might get better performance and you might be safer if regulated snoozing was permitted, according to well-known trainer and consultant Tom Aveni, head of the Police Policy Studies Council and a Technical Advisory Board member of the Force Science Research Center...Read More
Are antidepressants dangerous medications for cops? That question was raised recently on the listserv for the IACP’s Psychological Services Section. A psych professional from south Florida reported noticing of late “a marked increase in police officers being prescribed” antidepressants, known pharmacologically as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These include common brand-name drugs such as Prozac,...Read More
