When officers respond to emergencies that put them and the public in high-stress environments, they must make quick decisions that are in the best interests of everyone involved. Officers must rely on training, morale, and guidance from their agencies to determine the best, most appropriate response. Multiple factors play into the officer’s decisions on how to react, including cultural instincts, systemic culture, and organizational culture, which all guide quick decision-making. The “use of force” becomes necessary only as a last resource for police officers, although no universally agreed-upon definition exists. According to The International Association of Chiefs of Police, use of force means the “amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject”.1 Research on police force becomes critical to understanding the legal framework and societal impacts of how and why law enforcement apply force during an incident. More specifically, how does the frequency and perception of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department using force impact community trust and cooperation in diverse communities?
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Equity in Criminal Prosecutions: Analyzing Case Filings from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
Police Used Force on 1.3 Percent of Black Residents Since 2015Police used force over 1,600 times in 2019. Officers use force on black residents at a rate 2.6 times higher than white residents.
Changes in Indy’s Historic Black NeighborhoodsIn the 1970s, 4,000 residents left this nearly all-black neighborhood. Why? An increasingly desegregated housing market and closure of one of the country’s first public housing projects.
Story Map: Race and Migration Since 1970In 1970, half of the region’s Black population lived in 12 square miles north of downtown Indianapolis. As Black residents moved into ’60s suburban communities, 120,000 White residents left the city’s core for newer suburbs.
