Additional research supports this lack of accuracy, indicating
that when police officers use deadly force, more often
they miss the target than actually hit the target (Matulia,
1985). Although hit rates across different police agencies
vary, officer hit rates often do not exceed 50% during
officer-involved shootings (Copay and Charles, 2001; Geller
and Scott, 1992). In a national survey completed by the
Dallas Police Department (1992), hit rates were recorded
as low as 25% in some locations. A study examining
officer-involved shootings found that as the distance
between suspects and officers increased beyond 3 ft, noninjurious
shooting (to the suspect) increased from 9% to over
45% (in the 4-20 ft range) (White, 2006). Theoretically, this
may be due to the emotional response of the officer to the
high stress level that results when they are assaulted by dangerous
weapons or suspects shooting in proximity to and at
the officers (Schade and Bruns, 1989).
It should be noted that, according to
