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A Comparison of the Use of Force by Police: New Zealand and England & Wales

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Police Use of Force

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Abstract

The use of force by the police is a distinguishing aspect of their role. Research indicates however, that the use of force by the police is infrequent and is based on a number of factors that include the subject’s resistance to requests made by an officer and whether weapons are present at the event. This chapter examines and compares the use of force by the police in England and Wales with that of the New Zealand Police in 2017. The police in both of these countries do not routinely carry firearms, although they do have ready access to firearms. The examination found that the English and Welsh police use force more often than the New Zealand Police, but the New Zealand Police use the TASER™ more frequently than the English and Welsh police. The results of an analysis also suggest that the English and Welsh police are confronting a larger number of violent or potentially violent subjects and that the New Zealand Police are confronting lesser numbers, but more violent subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Garth den Heyer

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  1. Garth den Heyer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pace University, New York, NY, USA

    James F. Albrecht

  2. Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Garth den Heyer

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den Heyer, G. (2023). A Comparison of the Use of Force by Police: New Zealand and England & Wales. In: Albrecht, J.F., den Heyer, G. (eds) Police Use of Force. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22705-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22705-9_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-22704-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-22705-9

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