Date of Conferral

2-14-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Gregory Campbell

Abstract

The use of force by police officers toward African Americans has been a tense subject in the United States Although statutory law grants the police officers the right to use force, the level and the type of force used by police officers can be seen as problematic. In this study, the lived experiences of African Americans and police officers’ use of force were explored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore whether the lived experiences of African Americans differ from police officers concerning the use of force in Utah and how fear, trust, and confidence influenced behaviors. A goal was to provide an improved understanding from both the police and African Americans' perspectives. Rawls’ social justice theory was used as the theoretical framework. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews with 10 active or/and retired police officers and 10 African Americans all residing in the western state of Utah. Data were analyzed for patterns and themes using inductive coding. Both populations reported positive viewpoints of the other population. This study may affect positive social change by providing information to police department leaders, the citizens, and the policymakers to develop or modify policies regarding the use of force and help build a cooperative relationship with community leaders and the citizens in Utah.

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