A Cognitive Training to Improve Police Decision-Making

Adverse policing practices such as excessive use of force and unnecessary arrests, can be harmful to individuals and community members, and erode the public’s trust in police. To address this, researchers partnered with the Chicago Police Department to evaluate the impact of a new cognitive police training, Situational Decision-Making, or Sit-D, on officers’ ability to consider alternative interpretations of ambiguous scenarios and their tendency to use force and make discretionary arrests. The Sit-D training improved officer decision-making, reducing use of force incidents, discretionary arrests, and racial disparities in arrest rates while additionally reducing officer injuries.

Featuring an evaluation by Oeindrila Dube, Sandy Jo MacArthur, and Anuj K. Shah.