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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.
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.
@forceinsights 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
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] https://t.co/Vf47Y3ZU4c
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? https://t.co/P7iPCZe9BL
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]
https://t.co/Vf47Y3ZU4c
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.
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.
There is another problem. Pain can reduce the person’s ability to carry out the very movement being demanded, especially where fine motor control & balance are already degraded. In short subject’s can’t process what the cop is yelling at them to do.
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.
In real life use of force incidents, acute pain rarely produces a calm cost benefit analysis in a subject. It more often drives sympathetic arousal, narrows attention, and disrupts judgment.