The Deadly Force Threshold

The Deadly Force Threshold is still being modeled. While the theory is complete, modeling will likely take some time due to its complexity. While most officers' use of force is found to be ethical and justified, some struggle to understand the "totality of the circumstances" when under immense stress. We will continue to work diligently to complete this model. If only one life is saved as a result of this model, we will consider that a successful and worthy investment.

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Deadly force is the ultimate decision law enforcement officers must make. It is immensely stressful, dangerous, and can occur in less than half a second. It is of the utmost importance that officers have established systems and models to determine how to respond with deadly force. The Deadly Force Threshold is a systematic approach that is often used unknowingly by experienced law enforcement and military professionals.

Incidents of improper or excessive force appear to remain as a result of a combination of inadequate training or acute stress response. The rate of excessive force incidents occurring within the first 2 to 3 years of an officer's service appears to be vastly disproportionate, suggesting that our UOF Framework is not only beneficial but a critical need for officer development (McElvain & Kposowa, 2008). The training, experience, and education levels vary widely throughout the profession.

Deadly force situations are dynamic and often leave little to no time for deliberation. Those who make life-saving decisions rely on instinctual, automatic, and immediate cognitive processes ("System 1" thinking). Superior performance requires autonomic responses that can only occur through a systematic approach.

Our goal is to bridge the skill gap for new officers, reduce time requirements for skill development, and reduce officer stress to improve decision-making and reduce reaction time.

THE DEADLY FORCE THRESHOLD©

The Deadly Force Threshold is a streamlined approach for officers to determine the appropriate application of deadly force. It limits the need for excessive thought and preparation and simplifies choice variables. The process is quite simple and extremely beneficial. However, the formula is not. We have identified clear variables for recognition, identification, and response. We have also identified some of the internal processes that appear to occur within those who are highly proficient at shoot/no shoot decision-making. Identifying the natural human processes for assessing threats is crucial to our method for training new officers in responding to the same. Modeling this has been no small feat. The various elements in critical decision-making offer little use if they are not committed to memory in such a way that they are not acted upon with minimal analysis.

Fortunately, our instruction appears to be highly effective in demonstrating the process of effective decision-making. We have identified real-world case studies that clearly demonstrate our systematic and objective approach to deadly force.

TO BE CONTINUED

Why the Institute for Officer Safety?

Our course provides real-life case studies that break down patterns of human behavior, allowing officers to not only learn our model but actively see it applied in real-world contexts. Our instruction emphasizes reinforcement of each concept through actual events and real-world application.

References

McElvain, J. P., & Kposowa, A. J. (2008). Police Officer Characteristics and the Likelihood of Using Deadly Force. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(4), 505-521. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854807313995