Creating Guardians or Warriors? Examining the Effects of Non-Stress Training on Policing Outcomes

Abstract

High-profile fatal police shootings of persons of color in recent years have led some to propose changes in the ways that police officers are trained to reduce violence in interactions between officers and citizens. This article explores the impact of a non-stress-oriented training model that some police academies have adopted as an alternative to traditional militaristic training models. We integrate multiple theoretical perspectives to develop the expectation that training interventions will have a significant impact on the nature of police/citizen interactions only when turnover of officers is sufficiently high. Results from analyses of 133 middle- to large-sized municipal police departments in 2013 suggest that non-stress training is significantly associated with reductions in use of deadly force by officers in those departments where recruits trained under such regimes make up a larger portion of the force. We do not find a significant direct or moderated effect on the number of police injured in confrontations with citizens or in the prevalence of discretionary arrests.

Shoot or Don’t Shoot? Tactical Gaze Control and Visual Attention Training Improves Police Cadets’ Decision-Making Performance in Live-Fire Scenarios

“… Li et al (2020) found that non-stress law enforcement training is associated with significant reductions in police officers’ use of deadly force. This approach may facilitate a citizen-oriented “guardian-mindset” as opposed to a militarized “warrior-mindset” in law enforcement (cf., Stoughton, 2016 ).…”

“…However, as studies become more mature and findings accumulate, this field of research may provide valuable insights into equipping officers with more tools to find peaceful solutions for potentially deadly encounters -especially when combined with situational awareness, gaze control, and tactical attention strategies. Li et al (2020) found that non-stress law enforcement training is associated with significant reductions in police officers' use of deadly force. This approach may facilitate a citizen-oriented "guardian-mindset" as opposed to a militarized "warrior-mindset" in law enforcement (cf., Stoughton, 2016).…”

Developing Community Co-designed Scenario-Based Training for Police Mental Health Crisis Response: a Relational Policing Approach to De-escalation

“…Complicating this, “stress-based training”, which emphasizes vigilance and military-like preparation to threats in the field using defensive tactics, force and weaponry, cultivates a “warrior” mindset. Such an orientation may prime officers to view non-compliant or dysregulated behaviors as more perilous than they are, and resort unnecessarily to the use of force (Li et al 2021 ).…”

The impact of COVID-19 on police training academies

“…Third, 6% of academies characterize their training environment as “all or mostly stress-oriented” (Buehler, 2021, p. 9). This stress-oriented environment, which faded substantially in popularity between the 2016 and 2021 BJS census reports (Buehler, 2021), is associated with a more military-based approach (Li et al , 2020). Creating this type of stress environment is often contingent on a residential setting where the recruits are isolated from outside influences and are subjected to strict schedules and extensive rules similar to military training (see Chappell and Lanza-Kaduce, 2010).…”