NCJ Number
86495
Journal
Journal of Police Science Administration Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1982) Pages: 249-272
Date Published
1982
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This third section of a three-part article on robbery-related police assaults presents research findings on the dynamics of the assault event, summarizes the major findings from the study, and comments on implications of the research findings.
Abstract
Parts 1 and 2 of the study presented results on the environment of the police assault, officer characteristics, and assailant characteristics. The third section of the study indicates considerable differences between robbery-related police assaults involving officer casualties and general police assaults when the dynamics of the assault event are considered. There is less communication between officer and suspect in robbery situations which culminate in police assault. Also, the robbery situation is more dangerous for both officer and suspect, with firearms being present in most instances and the majority of injuries being related to firearms. General police assaults tend to stem from incidents where the suspect has already engaged in violence before the police arrive; whereas, robbery-related police assaults derive from the robbery situation itself and are probably triggered when the police arrival produces a desperate situation for the robber. General police assaults, while most often less serious, permit more opportunity for police brutality and harassment, because there is more personal interaction between officer and assailant. Police assaults during robberies, however, represent encounters between persons who are too concerned about survival to let prejudices or personal feelings affect their behavior. Officers should be aware that the robbery situation is dangerous and potentially deadly. There is a need for caution, planned action, and skill. Tabular data and 11 references are provided. For parts 1 and 2 of the study, see NCJ 82520 and 84050.