Browsing by Author "Hembroff, Chet Cameron"

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    An experimental study of police interactions with persons with mental illness using simulation technology
    (Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-03) Hembroff, Chet Cameron; Arbuthnott, Katherine; Krätzig, Gregory; Yamamoto, Susan; Pennycook, Gordon; Jones, Nicholas; James, Stephen
    Mass deinstitutionalization and repeated reports of the use of force during police responses to person(s) with mental illness (PMI) have resulted in public and political debates about police mistreatment of PMI and motivated requests for police reform. As police interactions with PMI continue to increase it is important to understand police decision making, how officers perceive and interact with PMI, and the role of policing during mental health crises. Research examining police records or police-civilian interactions in the field has produced mixed results in the rates of use of force during interactions with PMI. The current study used a laboratory experiment to control environmental variances in police interactions to add to the understanding of police useof- force during interactions with PMI. Study 1 compared perceptions of PMI between law enforcement students and university undergraduate students. Study 2 compared law enforcement students’ behaviour during a use-of-force scenario with either a PMI or healthy civilian, preceded by a dispatch report with or without information of the presence of mental health issues. Behaviours assessed include use-of-force choices, intervention response times, risk assessment, and communication tactics. The results of the studies found no significant differences between law enforcement and civilian students’ attitudes of mental health and the attitudes of law enforcement students did not influence their behaviour during the use-of-force scenarios. Use-of-force response times revealed that OC spray (i.e., pepper spray) use was delayed when interacting with the simulated PMI. While other intervention methods were rarely used, participants who used their pistol were not influenced by the mental health manipulations. Participants’ risk assessments and communication strategies were observed to vary between experimental conditions and in different contexts. Having prior information of mental health issues or responding to a PMI resulted in lower ratings of the risk of harm to others and situational factors, and higher ratings of risk to oneself. These results demonstrate that law enforcement students were not applying risk assessments equally across contexts as they are taught. These conditions also resulted in increased attempts to engage in conversation and to offer assistance. The results of this study demonstrate that law enforcement students had a tendency to wait longer before deciding to use force and used de-escalating communication when responding to a mental health crisis, while those who interacted with the healthy individual made more attempts to gain compliance and control using commands and earlier force. Overall, the students’ communication focused on police commands in all conditions and may indicate that more training on de-escalation is still needed. These results demonstrate a tendency towards de-escalation with PMI, particularly in use-of-force responses, as well as how law enforcement students are applying their training and the gaps that may still be present during interactions with PMI.
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    Framing Effects in Officer Use-of- Force Decision Making
    (Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2015-08) Hembroff, Chet Cameron; Arbuthnott, Katherine; MacLennan, Richard; Price, Heather; Ruddell, Richard K.
    Framing research demonstrates that making simple changes to the description of a task or task strategy can affect behaviour in a number of contexts (Almashat, Ayotte, Edelstein, & Margrett, 2008), but to my knowledge they have not been examined in a law enforcement setting. The present research examines officer decision-making processes during an emergency situation by investigating the influence of framing effects on the use of force. An interactive video-based use-of-force simulation scenario represented the emergency situation and participants were presented with one of three preceding framing manipulations. The experimental conditions emphasized either upholding public safety (i.e., avoiding unnecessary/excessive force) or officer safety (i.e., avoiding personal injury) and a third condition (i.e., control) included only a scenario description. Subsequently, participants were queried about their perceptions of risk regarding the scenario and their self-reported officer and civilian relationships. These results indicate that framing effects influence decisions relating to Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray (i.e., pepper spray) usage and the participants’ perceptions of suspect risk. Positive officer relationships were also found to predict early firearm and OC spray deployment. This research has important implications for the language used when training law enforcement officers and briefing officers during emergency calls. If minor variations in wording can bias officers to use more or less force, this may have important implications for law enforcement practices. This research also has important implications regarding officer relationships with fellow officers and civilians. It may be important to manage officer relationships within the workplace as well as in the community to reduce any potential, negative impact on operational duties.