Report: Ex-Military Police Officers Generate More Use Of Force Complaints

When it comes to hiring police officers, there is a strong preference given to military veterans — virtually nowhere more so than in Massachusetts. But the hiring practice has raised complex questions about the impact on policing — both in terms of use of force and diversity.

A joint investigation by the nonprofit journalism outlet The Marshall Project and USA Today finds that police officers who've served in the military are more likely to use physical force on the job.

WBUR's Bob Oakes spoke with one of the co-authors of the report, the Marshall Project's Beth Schwartzapfel and asked her how they came to that conclusion.