Methods for reducing human error in law enforcement operations

William R. Nelson

doi:10.1117/12.263467

21 January 1997 Methods for reducing human error in law enforcement operations

William R. Nelson

Proceedings Volume 2939, Training, Education, and Liability Issues for Law Enforcement Scientists and Engineers; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.263467
Event: Enabling Technologies for Law Enforcement and Security, 1996, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Because law enforcement operations rely almost completely on human activities, human performance plays a significant role in the overall effectiveness of law enforcement agencies. In particular, human errors can prevent the successful conclusion of a broad range of law enforcement activities such as suspect apprehension, evidence handling, vehicle pursuits, and prosection. Failure to successfully apprehend a suspect, gather sufficient evidence for conviction, or obtain the conviction can very often be traced to human errors of one form or another. Systematic methods for identifying potential human errors and eliminating them or reducing their frequency have been developed and applied in a number of industries. The potential for application of these methods to law enforcement should be fully explored. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) has developed and applied analytic methods to identify potential human errors and to eliminate them or reduce their likelihood. These methods have been applied to the design and operation of technologies such as nuclear power plants, offshore oil platforms, nuclear medicine, and commercial aircraft. The feasibility of applying these methods to reduce human errors in law enforcement activities has been investigated by examining the risks associated with vehicle pursuit and interdiction. Based on this evaluation, the methods appear to be directly transferable to law enforcement activities. We are currently working to identify the most effective potential applications of human error analysis to law enforcement.

Citation Download Citation

William R. Nelson "Methods for reducing human error in law enforcement operations", Proc. SPIE 2939, Training, Education, and Liability Issues for Law Enforcement Scientists and Engineers, (21 January 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.263467

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KEYWORDS

Error analysis

Reliability

Surgery

Failure analysis

Injuries

Safety

Complex systems

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