The problem of entanglement: Biases and fallacies in police conflict management

Abstract

Cognitive biases have been identified as drivers of the excessive use of force, which has determined current affairs across the globe. In this article, we argue that the police are facing serious challenges in combating these biases. These challenges stem from the nature of cognitive biases, their sources and the fallacies that mislead police professionals in the way they think about them. Based on a framework of expert decision-making fallacies and biases, we argue that these fallacies limit the impact of efforts to mitigate cognitive biases in police conflict management. In order to achieve a systemic understanding of cognitive biases and their detrimental effects, the article concludes that implementing reflexive structures within the police is a crucial prerequisite to effectively reflect on external influences and to limit bias and fallacies from further unfolding in a self-referential loop.

A case example of teaching reflective policing to police students

“…Concerning the within-systems perspective (colleagues, own experiences) biases and fallacies that are hidden within the system are likely to be further stabilized (Staller et al, 2021e). Also, experiences made as an addressee are limited.…”

Towards reflexivity in police practice and research

“…Rather, it is the fact that the commentary limits the issue of representativeness between the poles of training and the field to problems and solutions in the realm of motor performance under pressure. However, representativeness, in its fullest sense, covers the operational requirements for individual and collective (inter‐)action in its entirety, comprising the abilities to efficiently deal with boredom on duty (Rowe & Rowe, 2021) or responding to angry or concerned citizens in a respectful manner (Todak & James, 2018), the reflection‐in‐action of potential bias shaping behaviour before and during control situations (Staller et al, 2021) or the showcasing of empathy when encountering a person with symptoms of a mental crisis (Vecchi et al, 2019).…”