Bill Terrill
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Mail code: 3520Campus: Dtphx
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Dr. William (Bill) Terrill is the Associate Dean of Research for Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and a Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and his Masters and Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Having served as a Military Police officer, this experience translated to an interest in policing from both a practitioner and academic perspective. Throughout his career, Professor Terrill has worked with various local and state law enforcement agencies and has directed several federal and locally funded research studies, has served as a consultant on a multitude of projects, has been retained as an expert witness, and has been an invited speaker. His research centers on police behavior, with an emphasis on police use of force and police culture. He has published dozens of scholarly articles, chapters, and reports, as well as two books entitled Police Coercion: Application of the Force Continuum (2001, LFB Scholarly Publishing) and Police Culture: Adapting to the Strains of the Job (2014, Carolina Academic Press). Professor Terrill’s work has shed light on how and why police officers use force; the various ways that officers think about (i.e., perceptions) and engage in forceful tactics (i.e., behavior); the manner in which organizations structure and guide officers via organizational policy; the resulting impact of using force on citizens and officers; and the complexity with which one must consider the numerous ways police culture manifests, is shared, and influences officer behavior
Professor Terrill is presenting working on a National Institute of Justice grant examining body-worn cameras to help identify escalation and de-escalation in relation to use of force, as well as collaborating with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) on a study of police officer perceptions of objectively reasonable use of force. Dr. Terrill is formerly the Chairperson for the American Society of Criminology Division of Policing and served on the Sub-Committee to President Barack Obama’s 2015 Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Professor Terrill is currently serving as Co-Editor for Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice.
- Ph.D. Criminal Justice, Rutgers University 2000
- M.A. Criminal Justice (Honors), Rutgers University 1994
- B.S, Criminal Justice (Highest Distinction), Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg 1992
Policing, Police Use of Force, Culture, Policy, Strategies, Organization
Foster, Jacob T., Laura Zimmerman, William Terrill, and Logan Somers (2024). “Finding the Path of Least Resistance: An Examination of Officer Communication Tactics and Their Impact on Suspect Compliance.” Criminology & Public Policy, 23: 639-662.
Abbreviated Summary Reprint (2025): In Craig Bennell & Kirk Luther, (Eds.), Applied Police Briefings (APD): Bridging Policing Research & Practice. V1: 23-25.
Somers, Logan, William Terrill, and Stephanie Geoghan (2024). “A Gendered Assessment of Police Officers’ Views Towards Promotion, Specialized Units, and Expected Rank at Retirement.” Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, Special Issue Women in Policing (Guest Editors: Carol Archbold, Janne Gaub, and Jacqueline Drew), 18: 1-10.
Terrill, William, Laura Zimmerman, and Logan J. Somers (2023). “Applying Video-Based Systematic Social Observation to Police Use of Force Encounters: An Assessment of De-Escalation and Escalation within the Context of Proportionality and Incrementalism.” Justice Quarterly, Online first.
Terrill, William and Logan J. Somers (2023). “Viewing Firearm Danger Through the Lens of Police Officers.” Homicide Studies, 27(1): 55-76.
Somers, Logan J. and William Terrill (2022). “Confidence in Their Craft: An Assessment of the Relationship Between Officer Work Experiences and Their Perceptions of Self-efficacy.” Criminal Justice & Behavior, 49(11): 1656-1675.
Terrill, William and Laura Zimmerman (2022). “Police Use of Force Escalation and De-escalation: The Use of Systematic Social Observation with Video Footage.” Police Quarterly, 25(2): 155-177.
Somers, Logan J. and William Terrill (2022). “Examining the Relationship between the Unique Work Experiences and Cultural Orientations of Police Officers.” Criminal Justice Studies, 35(2): 182-199.
Worrall, John, Stephen Bishopp, and William Terrill (2021). “The Effect of Suspect Race on Police Officers’ Decisions to Draw Their Weapons. Justice Quarterly, 38(7)” 1428-1447.
Paoline, Eugene A. III, William Terrill, and Logan J. Somers (2021). “Police Officer Use of Force Mindset and Street-Level Behavior.” Police Quarterly, 24(4): 547-577.
Badolato, Gia M., Meleah D. Boyle, Robert McCarter, April M. Zeoli, William Terrill, and Monika K. Goyal (2020). “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Firearm-Related Pediatric Deaths Related to Legal Intervention.” Pediatrics, 146(6).
2025-2026. Dialogue That Works: Examining Police Communication Strategies and Citizen Compliance ($399,881). Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (Arizona State University, Texas State University, City of Dallas Polic Department).
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRJ 230 | Introduction to Policing |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRJ 501 | Seminar in Criminal Justice |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRJ 230 | Introduction to Policing |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRJ 501 | Seminar in Criminal Justice |
| CRJ 512 | Seminar in Policing |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRJ 501 | Seminar in Criminal Justice |
| CRJ 501 | Seminar in Criminal Justice |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPP 576 | Info Assurance Principles |
| CPP 583 | Hlth Aspcts Crises/Emerg/Dis |
| CPP 590 | Reading and Conference |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPP 590 | Reading and Conference |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPP 576 | Info Assurance Principles |
| CRJ 501 | Seminar in Criminal Justice |
| CPP 583 | Hlth Aspcts Crises/Emerg/Dis |
| CPP 591 | Seminar |
| CPP 581 | Bioterrorism & Health Intel |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CPP 576 | Info Assurance Principles |
| CPP 583 | Hlth Aspcts Crises/Emerg/Dis |
- Penn State University School of Public Affairs' Alumni Achievement Award (2014-2015).
- Rutgers University, School of Criminal Justice Richard J. Hughes Award, Highest Academic Standing in Master's Program, (1994).
- Pennsylvania State University Graduating Senior Award, Highest Academic Standing in Bachelor's Program, Pennsylvania State University School of Public Policy and Criminal Justice, (1992).
- Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, Co-Editor, 2017-present.
- Journal of Criminal Justice Education, Editorial Board member, 2017-present.
- Race and Justice: An International Journal, Editorial Board member, 2014-present.
- American Society of Criminology (ASC)
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS)
- Don Gottfredson
- Candace McCoy
- George Kelling
- Stephen Mastrofski
- James Fyfe
2016-Present Professor. School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Arizona State University.
2014-2015 Professor. School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University.
2007-2014 Associate Professor. School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University.
2005-2007 Assistant Professor. School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University.
2000-2005 Assistant Professor. College of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University.
1999-2000 Fellowship/Assistant Professor. School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
1996-1999 Field Research Director (Stephen Mastrofski, Robert Worden, Roger Parks, Al Reiss). Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN), National Institute of Justice, Michigan State University.
1995-1996 Field Research Director (Lorraine Mazerolle). Crime Prevention Programs in Public Housing: The Jersey City Approach to Drug and Violent Crime in Public Housing, National Institute of Justice, University of Cincinnati.
1994-1995 Field Researcher (David Weisburd and Lorraine Mazerolle). Controlling Violent Crime Places in Jersey City: A Problem-Oriented Policing Approach, Rutgers University.
1993-1994 Research Assistant (Don Gottfredson). Sentencing Legislation Reform, New Jersey Criminal Disposition Commission, Rutgers University.
1992-1993 Research Assistant (James Fyfe). The Use of Excessive Force in Los Angeles, Temple University.
- ASC Division of Policing Executive Board, Chair (2016 - 2018)
- Race and Justice: An International Journal, Editorial Board member (2014 - 2018)
- ASU SCCJ Comprehensive Exam Committee, Member (2016 - 2017)
- ASU SCCJ Executive Committee, Member (2016 - 2017)
- ASU SCCJ PErsonnel Committee, Member (2016 - 2016)
- ASC Division of Policing Committee to President Obama Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Member (2014 - 2016)
- ASC Division of Policing Executive Board, Executive Counselor (2014 - 2016)