The Role of Criminal Justice Degree Programs in Influencing Use of Force Practices: The Police Supervisor’s Perspective

The effects of street-level police officer higher education and the influence of the first-line police supervisor toward police officer behavior are two areas well-represented within policing research, but little investigation has been conducted to determine if higher education among police supervisors contributes to their ability to lead their subordinates toward meaningful outcomes. The current study investigates the experiences of criminal justice degree holding first-line police supervisors in utilizing the content of their degree programs toward influencing one critical police outcome: legitimate use of force. Qualitative interviews of 21 police supervisors in the United States revealed they generally utilize content from their college experience in two ways while guiding their subordinates' use of force practices: while deconstructing previous force incidents as instructional tools and in their ability to effectively communicate expectations, although some participants did not find workplace value in their education. Recommendations for future research are included.