New Report Integrates Police Perceptions into a Theoretical Framework
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jacinda Nembhard | jacinda.nembhard@gse.rutgers.edu | 848-932-0774
New Brunswick, N.J., January 14, 2026 – The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute of Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is proud to announce the release of its latest report, “Police/Civilian Encounters: Integrating Police Perceptions into a Theoretical Framework.” The report is the third in a series of reports that examine police officers’ perspectives on their encounters with civilians during traffic stops, and it explores how those perspectives align with a theoretical framework developed by the author earlier in the series.
The first report in the series, Police/Civilian Encounters: Understanding How and Why They Can Turn Deadly, posited the theoretical framework mapping the sequence of exchanges and events likely to occur during traffic stop encounters. It outlined the various ways these encounters can evolve and examined the circumstances under which deadly police interactions occur. The second report in the series, Police/Civilian Encounters: Officers’ Perspectives on Traffic Stops and the Climate for Policing, collected interview and survey data from a sample of police officers to go beyond the theory and gain their insight on how traffic stops actually evolve, including how and why deadly police interactions occur.
“The current study represents a fusion of the framework’s theory with the real-life practice of the sample of officers - testing the theory’s validity based on their testimonies and their perspectives on why traffic stops evolve the way they do,” said James Hyman, report author and Assistant Professor at Bowie State University. He added, “A shortcoming of that first report was its inability to consider whether, and if so, how, the attitudes and perceptions held by either party to the encounter may have contributed to the encounter’s outcome.” This latest report addresses this gap by examining the perspectives of police officers.
The report series examines the micro issue of what actually happens during police encounters. It highlights that traffic stops account for 41% of all civilian encounters with police and that 66% of officers in the study characterized traffic stops as more dangerous than calls for service. Furthermore, the study reveals that most officers feel anxious rather than aggressive during these encounters, likely due to the unknowns surrounding the driver. Given the lack of credible research on police perceptions of what actually happens during traffic stops, the interview portion illustrates what goes through the minds of these officers from the moment they pull a vehicle over. What is notable in this series of reports, however, is the emerging theme that establishing a rapport between the parties to traffic stop encounters is the primary means of preventing negative outcomes for either party.
“This is the third iteration of this Police/Civilian Encounters Research Project,’ and each study goes deeper into the dynamics between those involved,” said Marybeth Gasman, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University.“ Here, we’re able to fully grasp the stages of these encounters and the behavioral frameworks that could affect the outcome. These types of conversations and studies can foster accountability and ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
As a closing remark, Hyman emphasized, “As was shown by the events that followed the George Floyd murder, it takes only one high-profile death to spark a national public outrage, exacerbate distrust and suspicion in many communities, and pose serious challenges for police and policing nationwide.” This perspective further suggests that gaining a better understanding of these events and how to prevent them should remain a priority for citizens, law enforcement, and academic research.
You can read the full report here.
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About the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is a national center that focuses on issues of leadership, equity, and justice within the context of higher education. It brings together researchers, practitioners, and community members to work toward the common goals of diversifying leadership, enhancing equity, and fostering justice for all. The Proctor Institute is located at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, in the Graduate School of Education and, houses the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI). For more information about the Proctor Institute, please visit https://proctor.gse.rutgers.edu/.
