title: Battered police: risk factors for violence against law enforcement officers.
abstract: Although we hear more about violence committed by the police, violence against police officers is also a major problem in the United States. Using data collected from the Orlando, Florida Police Department files, this study examines situational variables, offender characteristics, and officer demographics that may correlate with violence directed at law enforcement officers. Logistic regression results indicate that battery against one or more police officers is significantly more likely when multiple officers are involved, when offenders are women, when offenders are larger than average as measured by body mass index (BMI), and when offenders are known to have recently consumed alcohol. We close with a discussion of policy implications and directions for future research.
authors.forename: Michele W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Covington
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huff-Corzine
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corzine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000378:Agonistic Behavior; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult