Expert insight on police performance under pressure. Human factors, decision making, operational realism. UK Based. International. No agency affiliation.
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Joined December 2024
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Facing a use of force investigation? Force Insight offers free, confidential case evaluations. Expert human factors analysis, operational policing insight, and clear evidence strategies. Email [email protected]
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Force Insight retweeted
A study of 11,397 officers in England and Wales found cops who are often or always single crewed had higher odds of verbal abuse.
Those always single crewed also had higher odds of physical attacks & injuries needing medical attention.
Force Insight retweeted
We were doing it years ago and didn't need a PhD to do it or understand it's value
Sad, isn't it?
Force Insight retweeted
Double crewing allowed what we now refer to as peer support, immediately after difficult incidents
Those 'looking down the road' chats that really helped ....
But, stats & 'visibility', which fails us all, are more important
SINGLE CREWING IS AN OFFICER SAFETY ISSUE.
Single crewing is in the news again. UK evidence shows a clear correlation between single crewing & higher levels of abuse, assault & injury.
Where assault, restraint, arrest or confrontation is foreseeable, the starting point should be safe crewing.
Facing a use of force investigation? Force Insight offers free, confidential case evaluations. Expert human factors analysis, operational policing insight, and clear evidence strategies. Email [email protected] forceinsight.org
Force Insight retweeted
PAIN COMPLIANCE. I saw the Scottish Prison Service getting some challenge in Prison Officer social media groups for their move away from pain compliance (as outlined in this story). But what does the evidence say about its effectiveness? bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2r…
Given there are effective alternatives to pain compliance, such as mechanical control, it would seem entirely appropriate for prison officers to be seeking to reduce reliance on pain compliance.
Facing a use of force investigation? Force Insight offers free, confidential case evaluations. Expert human factors analysis, operational policing insight, and clear evidence strategies. Email [email protected]
forceinsight.org
So the human factors issue is straightforward: pain compliance assumes cognition & control at the very point both are often breaking down. In high pressure incidents, pain may escalate resistance rather than secure compliance.
The effect is perhaps even less reliable again where alcohol, stimulants, or acute mental health crisis are impact factors. As we know, these are common impact factors in use of force incidents.
It can also trigger reflexive defensive behaviour. Instead of creating orderly compliance, pain may produce flinching, pulling away, bracing, or striking. The very things we are trying to avoid.
Pain compliance appears to rest on a weak assumption: that the subject will feel pain, think clearly, weigh options, & then choose compliance.
PAIN COMPLIANCE. I saw the Scottish Prison Service getting some challenge in Prison Officer social media groups for their move away from pain compliance (as outlined in this story). But what does the evidence say about its effectiveness? bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2r…