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Few studies have tested the efficacy of instruction based on cognitive load theory in police use-of-force (UoF) training due to limitations of existing cognitive load measures. Although linguistic measures of cognitive load address these limitations, they have yet to be applied to police UoF training. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.

Officers’ verbal behavioral data from two UoF de-escalation projects were used to calculate cognitive load and assess how it varied with officer experience level (less-experienced, experienced). The verbal data were further analyzed to examine specific thinking patterns that contributed to heightened cognitive load across officer experience levels.

Across both studies, responses from less-experienced officers contained greater usage of cognitive language than responses from experienced officers. Specific cognitive processes that contribute to cognitive load in specific situations were also identified.

This paper enables police trainers to facilitate the development of adaptive training strategies to improve police UoF training via the reduction of cognitive load, and also contributes to the collective understanding of how less-experienced and experienced officers differ in their UoF decision-making.

Examine how social studies preservice teachers conceptualize and enact critical historical inquiry.

Critical qualitative case study.

Differing conceptual understandings and had trouble infusing their practice with the critical theory learned in the university.

Examine how a core practice is bolstering the practice-theory connection in teacher education.

Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray has proven to be a relatively effective tool to subdue resistant or aggressive subjects without causing major and permanent injuries. Several products are available to law enforcement organizations and sprays with higher concentrations are sold as more effective, despite the lack of empirical evidence. This article aims to test the proposition that more concentrated OC sprays are more effective in a policing context.

To test this proposition, retrospective data on police interventions that had occurred (N = 1,019) were used. Concentrations were divided in three levels: level 1 sprays (containing up to 0.49% of major capsaicinoids), level 2 sprays (from 0.5% to 0.99%) and level 3 sprays (between 1 and 1.33%). Propensity scores were calculated to estimate the average effect of concentration level on effectiveness, while controlling for confounding factors.

Level 1 and level 2 sprays were found to be similar in terms of effectiveness, but level 3 sprays were found to be more likely to have an immediate effect but were also related to higher chances that decontamination was needed after use.

While several studies of the effectiveness of OC spray in general have been conducted in the past, this is one of the few to differentiate types of OC sprays according to their concentration level. As such, it aims to provide guidance to police organizations who must choose among a variety of products.

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