NCJ Number
115332
Date Published
1988
Length
194 pages
Annotation
Data from 1,550 assaults on the police in Baltimore County (Md.) during 1984-86 formed the basis of an analysis of the characteristics of offenders and officers, the context of the encounter, and the interactions of the people involved.
Abstract
The study used data from the assaults reported by the Baltimore County police during 1984-86, police personnel records, a random sample of calls for service, demographic information about Baltimore County, and the FBI's national database on law enforcement officers killed and assaulted. About one-fourth of the assaults occurred during domestic disputes. Domestic and general disturbances were among the most dangerous situations to police officers in terms of both injury and non-injury assaults. Citizens usually initiated the assaults in domestic disturbance cases and were more likely to use blunt objects than knives or guns. During the domestic encounter, officers were more likely to converse with the suspect than in non-domestic encounters. General disturbances involving individuals who were arguing in public, making too much noise, conducting loud parties, and making a nuisance were also problematic to the police. Findings indicated that police academies should not continue their current trend of deemphasizing the dangerousness of domestic disturbances. Results also indicated the need for research focusing on the extent to which different police methods affect the number of officer deaths and injuries during domestic disturbances. Tables, 18 references, and appended methodological information and additional tables.