Police and Security, Vol. 18 No. 2, 2009.
Professional paper
Physical Attacks on Police Officers
Goran Ribičić
; Police Academy, Zagreb, Croatia
Petar Vidić
; Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The paper provides an overvievv of the results of a research project conducted over several years in the field of Police tactics, and referring to the police response in the situations of verbal abuse and following-up physical attack. The aim of the project was to determine the advantage of developed psychological and physical skills (communication skills, self-defence, making an arrest, the use of police trancheon, handcuffs and fire arms) in problem solving activities while performing the police duties. The analysis was based on the official statistical date, i.e. the number of incidents of force usage registered in a period of 10 years. In addition, the results of a questionnaire have been analysed. Three hundred police officers have been questioned on the use of unarmed physical force as the mildest form of force usage. The results show that the police officers are insufficiently trained and educated to be able to resolve a situation involving physical attack. The figures indicate that in several cases the police officers made tactical mistakes resulting in their bodily harm without the situation having been resolved. It was pointed out, that it is extremely important to apply adequate tactics and methodology, and to precisely follow the rules and instructions before the use of force and when using the force. While performing his daily duties the police officer has to be mentally and physically fit and ready to use force in order to overpower the culprit. The present situation with regard to the police use of force reveals that the level of police training skills and the equipment they use can be considered deficient thus not meeting the standards requ-ired for the safe use of force, the consequences being the reduced efficacity and a high percentage of injured police officers.
Keywords
police officer; physical attach; use of force; attach on police officer; physical education; special physical education
Hrčak ID:
79340
URI
Publication date:
15.9.2009.
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