NCJ Number
13656
Date Published
1973
Length
51 pages
Annotation
EXAMINES OUTCOMES OF CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN POLICE OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC WITH RESPECT TO HEIGHT, RACE, AGE, AND WEIGHT OF THE POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED.
Abstract
THREE TYPES OF INTERACTIONS WERE CHOSEN FOR STUDY: INTERACTIONS THAT LEAD TO AN ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER; INTERACTIONS THAT RESULT IN A COMPLAINT OF POLICE BRUTALITY, AND INTERACTIONS THAT RESULT IN AN INJURY TO A POLICE OFFICER. RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE RACE AND WEIGHT OF THE POLICE OFFICER HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE OFFICER IS ASSAULTED, COMPLAINED AGAINST OR INJURED. A SLIGHT TENDENCY WAS NOTED FOR OFFICERS TO BE ASSAULTED BY MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN RACE. THE AGE OF THE OFFICER HAD NO EFFECT ON THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS OR INJURIES RECEIVED; HOWEVER, A TENDENCY WAS NOTED FOR OLDER OFFICERS TO BE INJURED BY ACCIDENT MORE OFTEN. AGE APPEARS TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY RECEIVED. OLDER OFFICERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST THEM. THE HEIGHT OF THE POLICE OFFICER SHOWED NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY OR THE NUMBER OF INJURIES RECEIVED. HOWEVER, SHORT POLICE OFFICERS WERE ASSAULTED MORE FREQUENTLY THAN TALLER OFFICERS. THESE FINDINGS ARE INTERPRETED IN TERMS OF THEIR RELEVANCE FOR A JUSTIFICATION OF THE POLICE OFFICER HEIGHT REQUIREMENT. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GIVEN FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)