Preventable Error in Policing

"Preventable errors" refers to mistakes which could have been avoided with proper planning or system design. Preventable errors pose a substantial threat in a wide range fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, aviation, information technology and policing.

Preventable errors in policing can encompass an array of issues, from procedural oversights such as failing to read Miranda rights properly to more serious violations like using excessive force or making unwarranted arrests. Other preventable mistakes include misidentifying suspects, poor decision-making under pressure situations, data entry errors, communication failures, racial profiling, ineffective de-escalation techniques and failing to act in the face of imminent disaster - these all compromise policing’s effectiveness while undermining public trust.

To reduce preventable errors, a wide breadth of strategies can be used such as checklists, specialized training, automation and after action reviews. Perhaps most importantly, police leaders must adopt the “if we can predict it, we can prepare for it” mindset.

It is imperative that policing foster an environment which prioritizes accountability over individual blame; treating errors as opportunities for learning and improvement rather than treating errors as failures in performance. Cultivating transparency and accountability as well as continuous improvement is paramount for reducing future preventable errors while rebuilding community trust in policing.

Concepts that play a part in preventable error are also examined in this section. Just some of these include groupthink, cognitive bias, confirmation bias, the normalization of deviance, normalcy bias, the illusion of continuity, information overload, stress and fatigue and the “Swiss Cheese Model.”