%0 Journal Article
%T A Systematic Social Observation Study of Police De
%A Lois James
%A Natalie Todak
%J Police Quarterly
%@ 1552-745X
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/1098611118784007
%X This study analyzes 131 police¨Ccitizen interactions observed during Fall 2016 and coded through systematic social observation. We assessed how often officers use de-escalation tactics, factors associated with their use, and the relationship between de-escalation and calm citizen demeanor. We found officers frequently employed de-escalation tactics, including the ¡°respect¡± tactic of treating citizens in a respectful manner, the ¡°human¡± tactic of getting on the citizen¡¯s level and reducing power imbalances, and the ¡°honest¡± tactic of being up front about the facts of the situation. Officers were more influenced by citizen demeanor than demographics in their use of de-escalation. The use of several tactics, including ¡°human¡± (reducing the power differential between the cop and the citizen) and ¡°calm¡± (the officer making an effort to control his or her own emotions), was associated with calm citizen demeanor. Directions for future research on this important topic are offered
%K police
%K de-escalation
%K systematic social observation
%K use of force
%K police¨Ccitizen interactions
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098611118784007