Abstract
Problem. The problem being addressed in this study is that arrest-related deaths continue to occur, while the law enforcement agencies do not have universal guidance on the proper use of force during an arrest. A universal use-of-force policy and mandated agency training requirements should be the first step in providing guidance to the law enforcement profession.Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the amount of arrest-related deaths between law enforcement agencies within Los Angeles County that have a use-of-force policy and require agency training in addition to POST with law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County that do not. In addition to examining use-of-force policies and agency training, this study also examined five specific use-of-force policy components and their relation to the amount of arrest-related deaths.Methodology. This study was designed to analyze the current common practice of municipal and sheriff's law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County pertaining to their use-of-force policies, arrest-related death incidents, and training requirements from 2015 through 2017. A mixed methods research design was used in which sources of secondary data and policy documents were collected for triangulation analysis. A mixed methods triangulation design was the most appropriate design to allow for a comprehensive identification of differences in the amount of arrest-related deaths between various variables.Findings. Based on the statistical analysis conducted in this study to determine whether various criteria such as use-of-force policies, training, and use-of-force policy components impacted the amount of arrest-related deaths, none of the criteria explored resulted in statistically significant findings.Conclusions and Recommendations. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that having a use-of-force policy does not impact the amount of arrest-related deaths committed by officers. The majority of Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies used a template to create their use-of-force policy. Recommendations to guide practice and future research include creating external oversight; creating a law enforcement officer database; collaborative policing; and conducting research on random encounters, the effectiveness of the Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission, and identifying collaborative efforts to increase public trust in law enforcement.