Search results

Showing 1 – 15 of 15 results.

Curated

Restricted

The Benefits of Body-Worn Cameras: New Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Nevada, 2014-2015 (ICPSR 37048)

Released/updated on: 2018-10-30

Geographic coverage: Las Vegas, Nevada

Time period: 2014-02-01--2015-09-01

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study reports the findings of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving more than 400 police officers and the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). Officers were surveyed before and after the trial, and a random sample was interviewed to assess their level of comfort with technology, perceptions of self, civilians, other officers, and the use of BWCs. Information was gathered during ride-alongs with BWC officers and from a review of BWC videos.

The collection includes 2 SPSS data files, 4 Excel data files, and 2 files containing aggregated treatment groups and rank-and-treatment groups, in Stata, Excel, and CSV format:

SPSS: officer-survey---pretest.sav (n=422; 30 variables)
SPSS: officer-survey---posttest2.sav (n=95; 33 variables)
Excel: officer-interviews---form-a.xlsx (n=23; 52 variables)
Excel: officer-interviews---form-b.xlsx (n=27; 52 variables)
Excel: ride-along-observations.xlsx (n=72; 20 variables)
Excel: video-review-data.xlsx (n=53; 21 variables)
Stata: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-treatment-group.dta (n=4; 42 variables)
Excel: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-treatment-group.xls (n=4; 42 variables)
CSV: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-treatment-group.csv (n=4; 42 variables)
Stata: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-rank-and-treatment-group.dta (n=12; 43 variables)
Excel: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-rank-and-treatment-group.xls (n=12; 43 variables)
CSV: hours-and-compensation-rollup-to-rank-and-treatment-group.csv (n=12; 43 variables)

Curated

Census of Law Enforcement Aviation Units, 2007 [United States] (ICPSR 25482)

Released/updated on: 2009-12-07

Geographic coverage: United States

The 2007 Census of Law Enforcement Aviation Units is the first systematic, national-level data collection providing information about law enforcement aviation assets and functions. In general, these units provide valuable airborne support for traditional ground-based police operations. An additional role following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is the provision of essential homeland security functions, such as providing critical facility checks of buildings, ports and harbors, public utilities, inland waterways, oil refineries, bridges and spans, water storage/reservoirs, National and/or State monuments, water treatment plants, irrigation facilities, airports, and natural resources. Aviation units are thought to be able to perform critical facility checks and routine patrol and support operations with greater efficiency than ground-based personnel. However, little is presently known about the equipment, personnel, operations, expenditures, and safety requirements of these units on a national level. This information is critical to law enforcement policy development, planning, and budgeting at all levels of government. The data will supply law enforcement agencies with a benchmark for comparative analysis with other similarly situated agencies, and increase understanding of the support that aviation units provide to ground-based police operations.

Curated

Restricted

Evaluating the Crime Control and Cost-Benefit Effectiveness of License Plate Recognition (LPR) Technology in Patrol and Investigations, United States, 2014 (ICPSR 37049)

Released/updated on: 2018-08-02

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2014-04-01--2014-08-01

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study, through a national survey and field studies in both patrols and investigations, examined the crime control and cost-effectiveness of the use of license plate readers (LPRs) within police agencies in the United States.

The collection contains 1 SPSS data file (Data-file-for-2013-IJ-CX-0017.sav (n=329; 94 variables)).

A demographic variable includes an agency's number of authorized full time personnel.

Curated

Partially restricted

Simple Crosstabs

Evaluation of Less-Lethal Technologies on Police Use-of-Force Outcomes in 13 Sites in the United States, 1992-2007 (ICPSR 27561)

Released/updated on: 2013-10-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1992-01-01--2007-01-01

The study examined how law enforcement agencies (LEAs) manage the use of force by officers. It was conducted to produce practical information that can help LEAs establish guidelines that assist in the effective design of Conducted Energy Device (CED) deployment programs that support increased safety for officers and citizens. The study used a quasi-experimental design to compare seven LEAs with CED deployment to a set of six matched LEAs that did not deploy CEDs on a variety of safety outcomes. From 2006-2008, data were collected on the details of every use of force incident during a specified time period (1992-2007), as well as demographic and crime statistics for each site. For the agencies that deployed CEDs, at least two years of data on use of force incidents were collected for the period before CED deployment and at least two years of data for the period after CED deployment. For the agencies that did not deploy CEDs, at least four years of data were collected over a similar period.

Curated

Evaluation of the Use of Computers in Patrol Cars by the San Francisco Police Department, 1999-2000 (ICPSR 3489)

Released/updated on: 2006-03-30

Geographic coverage: San Francisco, United States, California

Time period: 1999-01-01--2000-01-01

In an effort to reduce the workload of police officers participating in problem-solving and community-oriented activities, the San Francisco Police Department applied for and was awarded a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) grant in 1995 to integrate Mobile Computing Terminals (MCTs), or laptop computers, into its daily operations. The National Institute of Justice funded an evaluation of this COPS MORE initiative. The evaluation examined the efficacy of a technological intervention to improve operational efficiency, service quality, and the corresponding changes in officers' attitudes and behaviors associated with integrating the use of MCTs for computerized incident reporting into the work process. The two systematic methods of data collection used for this research project were pencil-and-paper surveys of officers' attitudes toward computers and community policing and direct observation of the behavior of officers on patrol, including measurements of time to complete reports and time engaged in police activities.

Curated

Restricted

Harnessing Existing Technologies to Mitigate Driving Distraction Among Law Enforcement Officers, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Wyoming, 2019 (ICPSR 38994)

Released/updated on: 2026-06-29

Geographic coverage: Iowa, United States, Wyoming, Tennessee, Wisconsin

Nearly half of the law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States were due to automobile crashes. Driver distraction has been identified as a common causal factor leading to the crash, with the primary source of distractions being the mobile computer. While there is plenty of literature on officer safety, what is lacking is an understanding of the needs of the officers to interact with the control or communication equipment while driving and how that interaction impacts distraction and, consequently, officer safety. To examine these issues, the research team conducted focus group discussions with law enforcement officers from local, county, and state agencies in four states. The two primary topics of discussion were:

Officer requirements to operate different pieces of equipment while driving, and
Different software and systems being used in patrol cars.

Curated

Impact of Oleoresin Capsicum Spray on Respiratory Function in Human Subjects in the Sitting and Prone Maximal Restraint Positions in San Diego County, 1998 (ICPSR 2961)

Released/updated on: 2006-03-30

Geographic coverage: San Diego, United States, California

Oleoresin capsicum (OC), or pepper spray, has gained wide acceptance as standard police equipment in law enforcement as a swift and effective method to subdue violent, dangerous suspects in the field. As a use-of-force method, however, OC spray has been alleged in the media to have been associated with a number of in-custody deaths. The goal of this study was to assess the safety of a commercially available OC spray in use by law enforcement agencies nationwide. The study was conducted as a randomized, cross-over, controlled trial on volunteer human subjects recruited from the local law enforcement training academy in San Diego County, California. Subjects participated in four different experimental trials in random order over two separate days in a pulmonary function testing laboratory: (a) placebo spray exposure followed by sitting position, (b) placebo spray exposure followed by restraint position, (c) OC spray exposure followed by sitting position, and (d) OC spray exposure followed by restraint position. Prior to participation, subjects completed a short questionnaire regarding their health status, history of lung disease and asthma, smoking history, medication use, and respiratory inhaler medication use. Prior to exposure, subjects also underwent a brief screening spirometry in the sitting position by means of a portable spirometry device to determine baseline pulmonary function. Subjects then placed their heads in a 5' x 3' x 3' exposure box that allowed their faces to be exposed to the spray. A one-second spray was delivered into the box from the end opposite the subject (approximately five feet away). Subjects remained in the box for five seconds after the spray was delivered. During this time, subjects underwent impedance monitoring to assess whether inhalation of the OC or placebo spray had occurred. After this exposure period, subjects were placed in either the sitting or prone maximal restraint position. Subjects remained in these positions for ten minutes. Repeat spirometric measurements were performed, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, end-tidal carbon dioxide levels, and pulse rate were recorded, and an arterial blood sample was drawn. A total of 34 subjects completed the study, comprising 128 separate analyzable study trials. Variables provided in all three parts of this collection include subject's age, gender, ethnicity, height, weight, body mass index, past medical history, tobacco use history, and history of medication use, as well as OC spray or placebo exposure and sitting or restraint position during the trial. Part 1 also includes tidal volume, respiratory rate, and heart rate at baseline and at 1, 5, 7, and 9 minutes, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure at baseline and at 3, 6, and 9 minutes. Additional variables in Part 2 include predicted forced vital capacity and predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and the same measures at baseline, 1.5 minutes, and 10 minutes. Derived variables include percent predicted and mean percent predicted values involving the above variables. Part 3 also provides end-tidal carbon dioxide and oxygenation levels, oxygen saturation, oxygen consumption at baseline and at 1, 5, 7, and 9 minutes, blood pH, partial pressure of oxygen, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide at 8 minutes.

Curated

Restricted

Investigating the Impact of In-car Communication on Law Enforcement Officer Patrol Performance in an Advanced Driving Simulator in Mississippi, 2011 (ICPSR 34922)

Released/updated on: 2016-12-21

Geographic coverage: Mississippi, United States

Time period: 2011-06-01--2011-11-01

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they there received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except of the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompany readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collections and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study used an experimental design to evaluate law enforcement officers' driving, visual attention, and situation awareness during patrol driving. The conditions were varied to determine the impact of information presentation formats on officers' ability to execute patrols. In addition, the effectiveness of in-vehicle technologies that may provide additional support to the officer and reduce the impact of information overload were investigated.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS), 2013 (ICPSR 36164)

Released/updated on: 2015-09-22

Geographic coverage: United States

The Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey collects data from a nationally representative sample of state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. Although the data collection instrument (see page 150 of the codebook) uses the year 2012 for the title, most questions have a reference date of January 1, 2013. For this reason, the study title uses the year 2013. The 2013 LEMAS sample design called for the survey questionnaire to be sent to 3,336 general purpose state and local law enforcement agencies including 2,353 local police departments, 933 sheriffs' offices, and the 50 primary state law enforcement agencies. The design called for all agencies employing 100 or sworn personnel to be included with certainty (self-representing) and for smaller agencies to be sampled from strata base on number of officers employed. A total of 26 local police departments were determined to be out-of-scope for the survey because they were closed, outsourced, or operating on a part-time basis. A total of 38 sheriffs' offices were excluded from the survey because they had no primary law enforcement jurisdiction. The final mailout total of 3,272 agencies included 2,327 local police departments, 895 sheriffs' offices, and the 50 state agencies.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS), 2016 (ICPSR 37323)

Released/updated on: 2020-08-20

Geographic coverage: United States

The Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey collects data from a nationally representative sample of general-purpose agencies (i.e., local and county police departments, sheriffs' offices, and primary state police agencies). The 2016 LEMAS sample design called for the survey questionnaire to be sent to 3,499 general purpose law enforcement agencies, including 2,640 local and county police departments, 810 sheriffs' offices, and the 49 primary state police departments (Hawaii does not have a primary state police agency). The design called for all agencies employing 100 or more full-time equivalent sworn personnel to be included with certainty (self-representing), and for smaller agencies to be sampled from strata based on number of full-time equivalent sworn officers and type of agency. A total of 28 local police departments were determined to be out-of-scope for the survey because they had closed, had less than one full-time equivalent sworn officer, had contracted out their services with another law enforcement agency, or only had special enforcement responsibilities. The final mail out total of 3,471 agencies included 2,612 local police departments, 810 sheriffs' offices, and the 49 state agencies.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS), 2020 (ICPSR 38651)

Released/updated on: 2023-03-07

Geographic coverage: United States

The Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey collects data from a nationally representative sample of general-purpose agencies (i.e., local and county police departments, sheriffs' offices, and primary state police agencies). The 2020 LEMAS sample design called for the survey questionnaire to be sent to 3,499 general purpose law enforcement agencies, including 2,631 local and county police departments, 819 sheriffs' offices, and the 49 primary state police departments (Hawaii does not have a primary state police agency). The design called for all agencies employing 100 or more full-time equivalent sworn personnel to be included with certainty (self-representing), and for smaller agencies to be sampled from strata based on number of full-time equivalent sworn officers and type of agency. A total of 37 local police departments were determined to be out-of-scope for the survey because they had closed, had less than one full-time equivalent sworn officer, had contracted out their services with another law enforcement agency, or only had special enforcement responsibilities. The final mail out total of 3,462 agencies included 2,611 local police departments, 802 sheriffs' offices, and the 49 state agencies.

Curated

Multi-Method Evaluation of Police Use of Force Outcomes: Cities, Counties, and National, 1998-2007 [United States] (ICPSR 25781)

Released/updated on: 2011-04-28

Geographic coverage: Seattle, United States, Orlando, Texas, Austin, Florida, Washington, South Carolina

Time period: 2006-07-01--2006-10-01, 2005-01-01--2006-07-01, 2002-01-01--2006-05-01, 2005-12-01--2006-10-01, 1998-01-01--2007-12-01, 1998-01-01--2006-12-01, 2002-01-01--2006-12-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate how and why injuries occur to police and citizens during use of force events. The research team conducted a national survey (Part 1) of a stratified random sample of United States law enforcement agencies regarding the deployment of, policies for, and training with less lethal technologies. Finalized surveys were mailed in July 2006 to 950 law enforcement agencies, and a total of 518 law enforcement agencies provided information on less lethal force generally and on their deployment and policies regarding conducted energy devices (CEDs) in particular. A total of 292 variables are included in the National Use of Force Survey Data (Part 1) including items about weapons deployment, force policies, training, force reporting/review, force incidents and outcomes, and conducted energy devices (CEDs). Researchers also collected agency-supplied use of force data from law enforcement agencies in Richland County, South Carolina; Miami-Dade, Florida; and Seattle, Washington; to identify individual and situational predictors of injuries to officers and citizens during use of force events. The Richland County, South Carolina Data (Part 2) include 441 use-of-force reports from January 2005 through July 2006. Part 2 contains 17 variables including whether the officer or suspect was injured, 8 measures of officer force, 3 measures of suspect resistance, the number of witnesses and officers present at each incident, and the number of suspects that resisted or assaulted officers for each incident. The Miami-Dade County, Florida Data (Part 3) consist of 762 use-of-force incidents that occurred between January 2002 and May 2006. Part 3 contains 15 variables, including 4 measures of officer force, the most serious resistance on the part of the suspect, whether the officer or suspect was injured, whether the suspect was impaired by drugs or alcohol, the officer's length of service in years, and several demographic variables pertaining to the suspect and officer. The Seattle, Washington Data (Part 4) consist of 676 use-of-force incidents that occurred between December 1, 2005, as 15 variables, including 3 measures of officer force, whether the suspect or officer was injured, whether the suspect was impaired by drugs or alcohol, whether the suspect used, or threatened to use, physical force against the officer(s), and several demographic variables relating to the suspect and officer(s). The researchers obtained use of force survey data from several large departments representing different types of law enforcement agencies (municipal, county, sheriff's department) in different states. The research team combined use of force data from multiple agencies into a single dataset. This Multiagency Use of Force Data (Part 5) includes 24,928 use-of-force incidents obtained from 12 law enforcement agencies from 1998 through 2007. Part 5 consists a total of 21 variables, including the year the incident took place, demographic variables relating to the suspect, the type of force used by the officer, whether the suspect or officer was injured, and 5 measures of the department's policy regarding the use of CEDs and pepper spray. Lastly, longitudinal data were also collected for the Orlando, Florida and Austin, Texas police departments. The Orlando, Florida Longitudinal Data (Part 6) comprise 4,222 use-of-force incidents aggregated to 108 months -- a 9 year period from 1998 through 2006. Finally, the Austin, Texas Longitudinal Data (Part 7) include 6,596 force incidents aggregated over 60 months- a 5 year period from 2002 through 2006. Part 6 and Part 7 are comprised of seven variables documenting whether a Taser was implemented, the number of suspects and officers injured in a month, the number of force incidents per month, and the number of CEDs uses per month.

Curated

Reducing Traffic-Related Officer Fatalities and Injuries Through Technology Enhancements and Policy, United States, 2013-2021 (ICPSR 39075)

Released/updated on: 2026-01-28

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2013-01-01--2021-01-01

Police officers rely on technology to safely arrive to scenes of emergency response. Although the technology in vehicles is becoming more sophisticated, it also presents a hazard while trying to safely operate a vehicle, often at high speeds. Increased refinement and understanding of the technologies are needed, including how they can be controlled and what is acceptable use for modern-day police officers.

The two objectives of this research were 1) to determine ways to improve police officer safety by evaluating technology enhancements that improve information delivery to officers in patrol vehicles and 2) to evaluate agency driving policies for response-to-calls service using crash and arrest data, specifically to investigate if vehicle driving speed influences a call's outcome. These objectives were achieved using parallel research investigations, including a qualitative analysis of how officers perceived and reacted to technology enhancements that were deployed in patrol vehicles. Focus groups and a follow-up survey were conducted so officers could provide feedback on the role of technology and the specific software programs implemented during the study for evaluation. Agency traffic crash data and computer-aided dispatch response-to-call data were also analyzed to determine the impact of response-to-call speed cap policies.

This collection contains data representing six police agencies across the United States: response-to-call data (DS1-DS4), vehicle crash data (DS5-DS7), post-intervention officer survey data (DS8), and pre-intervention officer focus group data (DS9). NOTE: Focus group data are not currently available.

Curated

Restricted

Research on the Impact of Technology on Policing Strategy, 2012-2014 [United States] (ICPSR 36367)

Released/updated on: 2017-12-21

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2012-01-01--2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a research-based framework to guide police agencies in future selection, implementation, and use of technology. This project was conducted in three phases. First, an expert panel was convened to identify key policing technology and to ensure that the survey captured critical indicators of technology performance. Second, a nationally representative survey was administered to over 1,200 state and local law enforcement agencies. The survey explored policing strategies and activities as well as technology acquisition, use, and challenges.

Curated

Testing and Evaluating Body Worn Video Technology in the Los Angeles Police Department, California, 2012-2018 (ICPSR 37467)

Released/updated on: 2021-04-28

Geographic coverage: United States, Los Angeles, California

Time period: 2015-08-01--2015-09-01, 2016-06-01--2016-08-01, 2012-01-01--2017-01-01

This research sought to evaluate the implementation of body worn cameras (BWCs) in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Researchers employed three strategies to evaluate the impact of BWCs in the department: 1) two-wave officer surveys about BWCs, 2) two-wave Systematic Social Observations (SSOs) of citizen interactions from officer ride-alongs, and 3) a time series analysis of existing LAPD data of use of force and complaint data.

The officer surveys were conducted in the Mission and Newton divisions of the LAPD before and after BWCs were implemented. The survey instrument was designed to measure perceptions of BWCs across a variety of domains and took approximately 20 minutes to complete. Researchers attended roll calls for all shifts and units to request officer participation and administered the surveys on tablets using the Qualtrics software. The pre-deployment survey was administered in both divisions August and September 2015. The post-deployment surveys were conducted with a subset of officers who participated in the pre-deployment surveys during a two-week period in the summer of 2016, approximately nine months following the initial rollout of BWCs.

The SSO data was collected in the Mission and Newton divisions prior to and following BWC implementation. The pre-administration SSOs were conducted in August and September 2015 and the post-administration SSOs were conducted in June and August, 2016. Trained observers spent 725 hours riding with and collecting observational data on the encounters between officers and citizens using tablets to perform field coding using Qualtrics software. A total of 124 rides (71 from Wave I and 53 from Wave II) were completed between both Newton and Mission Divisions. These observations included 514 encounters and involved coding the interactions of 1,022 citizens, 555 of which were deemed to be citizens who had full contact, which was defined as a minute or more of face-time or at least three verbal exchanges.

Patrol officers (including special units) for ride-alongs were selected from a master list of officers scheduled to work each day and shift throughout the observation period. Up to five officers within each shift were randomly identified as potential participants for observation from this master list and observers would select the first available officer from this list. For each six-hour observation period, or approximately one-half of a shift, the research staff observed the interactions between the assigned officer, his or her partner, and any citizens he or she encountered. In Wave 2, SSOs were conducted with the same officers from Wave 1.

The time series data were obtained from the LAPD use of force and complaint databases for each of the 21 separate patrol divisions, a metropolitan patrol division, and four traffic divisions of the LAPD. These data cover the time period where BWC were implemented throughout the LAPD on a staggered basis by division from 2015 to 2018. The LAPD operates using four-week deployment periods (DPs), and there are approximately 13 deployment periods per year. These data span the period of the beginning of 2012 through the 2017 DP 12. These data were aggregated to counts by deployment period based on the date of the originating incident. The LAPD collects detailed information about each application of force by an officer within an encounter. For this reason, separate use of force counts are based on incidents, officers, and use of force applications. Similarly, the LAPD also collects information on each allegation for each officer within a complaint and public complaint counts are based on incidents, officers, and allegations.