Norwegian Police Officers risk perception in Armed Confrontations

Although Norwegian police officers are legally permitted to use force in armed confrontations, they seldom resort to using their firearms. However, according to the Norwegian Police Threat Assessment, violent crime involving lethal weapons and attempted murder is on the rise. This trend has led to an increase in armed confrontations and, consequently, more situations in which police emergency response officers must decide whether to use their firearms. In such scenarios, officers' understanding of risk-the uncertainty, severity, and potential consequences of the situation at hand, and their ability to interpret the evolving dynamics of the confrontation, are crucial in determining the most appropriate course of action. This paper examines how risk perception develops across different phases of a police armed assignment, including the confrontation itself. The analysis draws on 30 semistructured interviews with Norwegian police emergency response officers who had been involved in armed confrontations where they believed they were legally justified in discharging their firearms but, for various reasons, chose not to do so. Findings indicate that Norwegian police officers' risk perception-and their subsequent decision not to use their firearms-is influenced primarily by the behaviour and actions of their counterpart in the confrontation. Additional contributing factors include officers' level of expertise, their training in extreme scenarios, and their access to protective equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests, and shields. Ultimately, however, the foundation of these decisions lies in their ability to read the situation and assess the risks posed by the counterpart.

Keywords: Armed confrontation, Uncertainty, Risk perception.