Police Instruments of Restraint against Persons with Health Problems – Analysis of the Use of Expert Grips and Holds as Forms of Physical Force | Journal of Criminal Justice and Security
Purpose:
The purpose of this article is to analyse whether police officers have sufficient expert knowledge to control a violent patient with health problems. The aim is to determine the actual capability of police officers to control such persons and analyse the competencies of police officers in controlling violent persons.
Design/Methods/Approach:
Utilising the quantitative method of research and an adapted questionnaire by Gabrovec et al. (2014) as the method of data collection, we determined the state of the capability of police officers to control violent patients.
Findings:
In order to deal with and control violent persons, police officers can make use of a wide range of powers, including the use of instruments of restraint. However, since dealing with a violent person is not the same as dealing with a violent person with health issues or a person under the influence of drugs or medications, coercive means against such persons must be used differently and adapted. The specific nature of the situation dictates the need for additional skills and training for the successful implementation of police procedures that do not jeopardise the subsequent treatment procedures with the patient. Our analysis has shown the lack of knowledge and skills of police officers in dealing with violent persons who have health issues or are under the influence of drugs or medications. Police officers are not afforded appropriate training in this field.
Research Limitations / Implications:
The research was conducted in one of the eight police administrations in Slovenia. However, the frequency of police procedures with violent persons who have health issues is similar to that in the other police administrations, so with certain reservations we may generalise the findings to cover the whole of Slovenia.
Practical Implications:
This article offers some basic information to police managers for upgrading training and education programmes in this area of exercising police powers.
Originality/Value:
The article uncovers an entirely new field of police operation for which the police force is not specifically prepared.
UDC: 351.741:614.253.8
Keywords: violence, patient, police, assistance, physical force, means of coercion