Author: Benjamin Zaiser

As an interactive and mutual constitutive process between officer, civilian, and often also third parties, interpersonal communication is a crucial variable in the psychology of critical and major incidents involving law enforcement. Insight into the communicative dynamics underlying tactical decision making requires an understanding of the transactional nature of the corresponding crisis communication. Starting in spring … [Read more…]

A number of fatal police uses of force in North America have recently drawn public attention to the way police interact with citizens and, thus, make tactical decisions. The shootings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Sammy Yatim in Toronto, Canada (see video clip below), as well as the arrest of Eric Garner on … [Read more…]