Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Karel Kurst-Swanger

Abstract

Modern efforts involving police reform have created a need for police administrators and policymakers to address various elements of policing. Administrative and punitive policy reforms have had little effect on decreasing police shootings. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of officers who have been involved in deadly force encounters in order to identify where their past training methods led to success or failures in real-life situations. The theoretical framework for this study was Janis and Mann’s conflict model of decision-making. This study involved answering the question: From the perspectives of police officers involved in shootings, what elements of training influenced their decision-making in real-life deadly force encounters? Data were collected using researcher-developed questions in virtual or face-to-face settings. Participants included 16 officers who have been involved in real-life shootings in a particular area identified in this study as a Rocky Mountain region for security purposes. This study found that agencies are failing to use the most proven methods for preparing their officers for real-life encounters in the most effective manner. Institutionalized practice of agencies to use marksmanship-based testing has failed to prepare officers to deal with decision-making under high stress situations. Findings show policing agencies must adopt training policies and emphasize cognitive training which will lead to officers who can make good decisions under stress. Implications for social change will be improved firearms training policies, leading to improved decision making by officers in an effort to decrease police shootings.

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