Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Sherri Michelle Alvarado and I am From El Salvador. This is my first year at FSU as a transfer student from Orlando, Florida. I am a criminology major with a minor in political science on a pre-law track. I plan to attend law school after getting my bachelors degree. I have an interest for immigration law and criminal defense and I currently work as an administrative assistant with the Florida Department of Corrections. My current involvements on campus consist of Her University, BigSisterLittleSister mentoring program and UROP. This semester I worked alongside Dr.McCreary and Adam Rose in "Can't 8 Wait" project as a research assistant.

A Review of Police Use of Force Policies in Florida

Abstract

This research project examines how the adoption of "8 Can't Wait" policies within law enforcement protocols impacts the reduction of police use-of-force incidents. Police use-of-force has become a prominent issue, especially following tragic cases of civilian deaths in police custody. In response to these incidents, there has been growing pressure to reform law enforcement's approach to handling resistance. This project specifically conducts a systematic review of use-of-force policies across various city and county police departments in Florida. These policies were gathered through public records requests and email inquiries. The study will assess which jurisdictions have implemented the "8 Can't Wait" policy proposals, as well as an additional policy requiring the provision of emergency medical services in urgent situations. After completing the review of these policies, the project will analyze any potential statistical correlations between the policies and reported use-of-force incidents.

Keywords: Police Use of Force