SWAT mobilization trends: testing assumptions of police militarization

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically test common explanations for the growth of police militarization and to determine whether federal funding, such as Byrne grants, had a significant effect on the growth and normalization of SWAT teams. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from data spanning the years 1986-1998, an interrupted time series analysis is used to assess whether federal funding has a significant influence on the growth of SWAT teams and their mobilization for narcotics grants. Findings The findings of this analysis suggest that, at the time where federal funding was at its peak (the year 1990), there was a significant decrease in SWAT team creation compared to the years prior. There was likewise a significant decrease in SWAT mobilization for narcotics warrant in the years following 1990. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is that unmeasured exogenous factors in the year 1990 may have influenced militarization trends. However, given the counterintuitive findings of this study, it is essential that more nuanced research is conducted regarding police militarization to gain a clearer understanding of trends in police culture. As this study finds that militarization is not significantly driven by federal funding, future research must incorporate other factors to explain police organizational change. Originality/value This paper provides an advanced empirical analysis that is one of the first to directly test commonly held explanations for police militarization. This analysis adds complexity to the issue of US police militarization and demonstrates that further research is essential in this area.