Contemporary Issues

Contemporary Issues: Article Critique Paper Student’s Name Affiliation Course Number: Course Name Instructor’s Name Due Date Author’s Approach to the Issue In Sanders et al.’s (2025) article, the analysis of the police use of force is conducted through an empirical lens that is methodologically rigorous, and the perspective is concerned with training intervention efficacy. This is done by a collaborative model of research between King's College London and the College of Policing that places the authors in the broader picture of policing reform, guided by evidence. Their approach is quantitative, employing a stepped-wedge pragmatic controlled trial design to assess the effect of the Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) curriculum among 1,843 officers over 52 weeks. The authors base their exploration on the existing literature but acknowledge the major deficiency in UK-based research on force reduction training. Their methodology shows that they are devoted to generating actionable evidence rather than evidence void of real-world applicability for policymakers. Their approach is collaborative, bringing together academic researchers, police leadership, and subject matter experts, providing a multi-stakeholder view of the problem that increases the study's credibility and its real-world applicability. Analysis of Format and Structure The article is presented in the typical format of an academic journal, with a logical structure that includes problem identification, methodology, results, and implications. The authors employ sectional divisions, including an extensive literature review, methodology, and results presentation using various analytical tools. The use of tables and figures makes the complex statistical findings easily comprehensible, thus enabling the research to reach both academic and practitioner audiences. The writing style is simple enough, precise, and readable without being overly jargonish and unscholarly. The detailed interpretation of impacts indicates the comprehensive documentation of the procedures and analyses conducted. The format, however, proves to be heavy, filled with statistical displays, which may be incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with quantitative research methodology. The subheadings the authors use to divide the secondary analyses are compelling. Still, the abundance of statistical outcomes could be improved with more interpretive narration between various parts of the analyses. Point of View and Perspective The authors adhere to positivist viewpoints, using measurable results and statistical significance as the primary criteria for evaluating training success. Their perspective is institutional reform-oriented, presupposing that better training may significantly help to resolve systemic problems in the use of force by the police. Although they find racial differences in the application of force, their analysis fails to look beyond training as ...