Research shows that police officers in situations of shared stress tend to focus more on coordinating behaviour with team members and less on explicit de-escalation tactics with suspects. This key finding comes from the project “A Multi-Channel Approach to Studying the Dynamics of Effective Collaboration in Police Teams,” led by Marcella Hoogeboom (UT) and Vana Hutter (VU), and funded by VU-UT seed funding within the Secure Societies Coalition.
The aim of this project was to deepen understanding of effective collaboration within police teams using innovative measurement technologies. Police officers regularly encounter high-stress situations that require seamless teamwork, yet research on this collaboration is limited and often segmented. This project, therefore, adopts a holistic approach, integrating various advanced tools to capture a comprehensive view of team interactions.
Using Zephyr monitors, the researchers tracked heart rate variability, while body cams and additional cameras recorded coordination and de-escalation behaviours. Overhead cameras further mapped officers’ positions and movements. By reviewing footage, officers could assess their own perceptions of stress and teamwork.
The project involved close collaboration with the Police Training Centre in Borne, following several preparatory visits with two intensive data collection days. In realistic scenarios, police officer pairs were tasked with arresting a violent suspect, each pair completing three identical scenarios. Researchers introduced varied stress levels by altering the suspect’s aggression and adding a second individual to increase the teamwork complexity.
Results revealed distinct physical responses among officers. During shared stress moments, pairs displayed significant explicit coordination, including giving instructions and requesting information, alongside implicit de-escalation tactics like active listening. Under reduced shared stress, officers shifted to implicit coordination behaviours, such as offering assistance and monitoring the situation.
Currently, researchers are analysing data on movement and continuous perceptions of stress and teamwork to create a more comprehensive understanding. Although the project has formally concluded, collaboration continues due to the scientific and practical interest generated. Further exploration is underway on how automated behaviour analysis can support studying collaboration in realistic, dynamic environments.
