In early 2018, prior to the initial release of the Equality Indicators Report and Resilient Tulsa Strategy, the Tulsa Police Department partnered with national research experts to begin a comprehensive study titled, A Multi-Method Investigation of Officer Decision-Making and Force Used or Avoided in Arrest Situations,to examine Tulsa Police arrests and use of force decisions.
The Tulsa Police Department has taken a role in the law enforcement community by seeking and engaging a research partner for the use of force studyto proactively learn more about use-of-force decision making. This study is the first of its kind in the nation on police use of force and will serve not only the Tulsa community and Tulsa Police Department but will be disseminated across the nation to inform national discussion on policing and continue to move law enforcement agencies toward evidence-based policies and practices.
The use of force study was initiated through the International Association of Chiefs of Police, University of Cincinnati Center for Police Research and Policy and led by researchers from the University of Texas San Antonio Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.