Controlling police decisions to use deadly force: Reexamining the importance of administrative policy

Prior research has sought to identify appropriate mechanisms that can effec tively control police officers' decisions to use deadly force Using data fr om Philadelphia for a period of more than two decades, this article employs interrupted time series analysis (ARIMA) to examine the impact of Two chan ges in administrative policy on monthly levels of deadly force in Philadelp hia. Findings support prior deadly force research suggesting that administr ative policy can be an effective deadly force discretion central, but the P hiladelphia experience indicates that formal policy can be outweighed by th e personal philosophies and policies of the chief; and that its impact is l imited to elective encounters.