A balance of forces

This study examines the issue of police use of deadly force. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) obtained 10 years of FBI data for 57 cities on police 'justifiable homicide' (as defined by the FBI Uniform Crime Reports), conducted a 54-city survey of police departments, and analyzed written policies to identify factors involved in deadly force incidents. The study found that departments with sufficient numbers of street supervisors providing tactical guidance and manpower support have a lower incidence of use of deadly force, as do departments having management policy directives regarding stakeout units. Other contributing factors to lower deadly force rates appear to be use of smaller caliber weapons and review of deadly force incidents by police chiefs. Model policy guidelines to assist police executives in exerting maximum control over use of deadly force in their units were developed after review of model standards on deadly force issued by the FBI, American Law Institute, President's Commission, IACP, Institute of Government Affairs, and American Bar Association.