Police use of firearms in Germany: A review of practice

Abstract

The police use of firearms in Germany has scarcely been researched empirically, which leads us to a remarkable research gap. It is questionable whether scientific findings from other countries can be transferred to Germany. Therefore, in a survey, findings were obtained about the situation, the person shot at and the shooter, aspects of the shooting (as well as target hits, ammunition impact, and the aftermath, also the subjective experience and recollection, which are not part of this article) of the use of firearms. Participants in the survey were police officers from the German state police who shot at a person between 2013 and 2017.

In this regard, situational backgrounds have been researched, which show that police use of lethal force against individuals does not occur in specific situations. Overall, police use of firearms can occur at any time of the day or night in which lighting conditions can vary. Overall, it can be stated that the situational aspects of firearm use vary. This means that training and further education of police officers must be optimised in this respect and offer a wide range of the above-mentioned aspects. Lastly, the majority of the persons shot were armed, mentally ill, or drug-impaired, which brings not only an important aspect toward research, but also further education and training of police officers.