DALLAS _ A new study by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas reports that factors like divorce and debt increase police officers' likelihood of using deadly force.
The study, published in the journal Police Quarterly, focused on indicators in officers' personal lives.
Researchers gathered data from 1,935 Philadelphia police officers, 5 percent of whom were involved in shootings.
The study found that officers who exhibited poor personal self-control, as determined by eight factors, were more likely to use deadly force. The factors were:
_A suspended driver's license
_Traffic accidents
_Termination or dismissal from a job
_Paying bills late
_Loans or debts of more than $1,000
_Court orders
_Divorce or separation
_Traffic tickets in the past five years
For each indicator, likelihood of involvement in a shooting increased 21 percent.
Officers having one or two of the factors can be "bad luck," UT-Dallas criminology professor Jon Maskaly said. But a pattern may require police departments to take a closer look, he said.
Candidates with increased likelihood of deadly force may need additional screening before becoming police officers, researchers said. Their research also suggested that officers should be monitored throughout their career.
"Done well, this should help departments recruit and retain the best officers who can work with the community to keep our cities safe," Maskaly said.
