Peer Influence and Use of Force: The Role of Social Networks in Explaining Police Behavior

Abstract Objectives We examine whether an officer’s likelihood of using physical force during a 911 call response is associated with exposure to peers who have previously used force. Methods We use data on joint responses to 911 calls by Dallas police officers to reconstruct the social network of on-duty patrol interaction within the Dallas Police Department. Merging these data with Response to Resistance reports on use of force, we use a matched case-control design implemented with conditional logistic regression and permutation tests to estimate whether lagged and contemporaneous exposure to peers with a history of use of force is associated with an officer’s own likelihood of using physical force, holding constant incident-level situational context. Results Greater lagged exposure to peers’ prior use of force is associated with a higher likelihood that a focal officer subsequently uses physical force during a 911 response. In contrast, contemporaneous exposure is associated with a reduced likelihood of force in the same incident. Conclusion These findings are consistent with social learning perspectives suggesting that peer influence may operate through longer-term processes of learning and socialization while also shaping how officers coordinate behavior during specific encounters. More broadly, the results highlight the importance of considering how routine on-duty interactions shape police behavior and suggest that social networks may both reinforce and constrain the use of force.