Early Warning Systems: Responding to the Problem Police Officer

This Research in Brief discusses early warning systems designed to identify officers who may be experiencing problems on the job and to provide appropriate counseling or training for them. Early warning systems have emerged as a popular remedy for police misconduct and this study suggests that these systems can reduce the problematic police behaviors that lead to citizen complaints. The findings are based on a survey of 832 local law enforcement agencies and site visits to three departments with established early warning systems.