Behavioral Scientist Lectures LAPD Officers About Science Of Using Deadly Force
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — LAPD officers underwent training this week on the science of human dynamics behind deadly force encounters.
Behavioral scientist Bill Lewinski spoke at the invitation of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, educating officers on how they can better predict response based on behavioral patterns.
"One of the things that we are encouraging is more training and predicting patterns of how behavior evolves and then assisting the officers in reading those patterns so that they can make better decisions," Dr. Lewinski told CBS2's Dave Lopez.
The seminar, held at LAPD headquarters in Elysian Park, also included simulated situations.
Dr. Lewinski, of the Force Science Institute, drove home the importance of officers being able to react appropriately when faced with making a life or death decision in a fraction of a second.
"The way the average person can pull a gun... and point and fire - a quarter of a second," he told the class.
Police Commission President Steve Soboroff was among those present.
Soboroff echoed the importance of equipping officers with the tools to respond to "the incredible amount of stress, the incredible amount of decisions and the incredible amount of variables" that can unfold in potentially deadly situations.
