Danger to the Police From Domestic Disturbances: A New Look at the Evidence

• NCJ Number: 116812
• Author(s): J Garner; E Clemmer
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 37 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper rebuts previous research findings that interventions in domestic disturbances are unusually dangerous to police, pointing out that robberies are more likely to cause physical danger to police officers.

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that involvement in domestic disturbances accounted for 18 to 22 percent of all police officer deaths. However, a review of empirical evidence indicates that less than six percent of all felonious officer deaths can be attributed to involvement in domestic disturbances. Data indicating the frequency with which police encounter domestic disturbances, other disturbances, traffic problems, burglary, and robberies were studied. Covering domestic disturbances was found to be the least likely assignment to cause officer deaths. Instead, covering robberies was the most likely assignment to generate serious injury or possible death to police officers. The study concludes that researchers must repair the damage caused by inaccurate reporting and must increase their studies of how frequently police officers perform various assignments. 52 references.