use of deadly force cannot be used. However, if the officer has probable cause that the…
Use of force within law enforcement is used to control and try to contain the suspect or situation. The United States have gone through many problems with trying to find a middle ground and the correct use of force. There have been problems with the correct use of force even when weapons are not used like the unfortuante death of Eric Garner who was killed by a illegal chock hold in New York. Although, this is an obvious problem within the law enforcement in the United States, there has been no clear solution to the problem. Many have…
In making arrests, maintaining order, and defending life, law enforcement officers are allowed to utilize whatever force is "reasonably" necessary. The breath and scope of the use of force is vast. The spectrum begins with the physical presence of the official through the utilization…
The use of force by law enforcement becomes necessary and is permitted under specific circumstances, such as in self-defense or in defense of another individual or group. (Peak, (2015). I feel, law enforcement should acquire enough use of force which is necessary to gain control of a situation. The levels or continuum of force police use include basic verbal and physical restraint, less-lethal force and lethal force. (Peak, (2015). Throughout our history, police agencies have faced allegations of brutality and corruption. (Peak, (2015). There are three means by which the police can be brutal: verbal abuse, physical abuse and police brutality. Police brutality has become a great concern. Police brutality encompasses a wide range of practices, from the use of…
We begin with the definition of excessive force as provided by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, “excessive force is the amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling suspect” (Police use of Force, 2009). That is, police will turn to excessive force when an individual has been uncooperative. Some argue that the police’s most defining feature is their capacity to use coercive force (Katz & Walker, 2008). Police use of force may include physical force as well as the power to arrest, but most importantly the power to use deadly force. It is important to keep in mind that there are laws set in place to limit the amount of force an officer uses, including excessive force. Such laws have allowed for better policing practices and an improved police/community relationship. Although police use of excessive force still arises from time to time, the number of incidents has dropped dramatically over the years. According to a study done in the years 1999 and 2000 of calls for service, force was used by police in less than one percent of the calls (Police use of Force, 2009). In…
There is a long tradition of research about the police use of deadly force, and reviews of this research have identified the characteristics of who was killed, by whom, and under what circumstances, as well as plausible suggestions to explain why. The studies on use-of-force policies and training have generally been prescriptive and have rarely reported the frequency with which officers use particular levels of force. The narrative accounts by independent researchers have tended to emphasize the researchers' personal interpretation of the police work and to highlight alleged and sometimes confirmed incidences of unusual, dramatic, illegal, or inappropriate behavior by officers or civilians (Garner, 715). These descriptions and insights provide a valuable basis for generating hypotheses about the nature of force and the situations in which force is used.…
Police work is dangerous. Sometimes police put in situations that excessive force is needed. But, because some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not, police brutality should be addressed. The use of excessive force may or may not be large problem, but it should be looked into by both the police and the public.…
Adams, K. (1999). “What We Know About Police Use of Force” in Use of Force by Police: Overview of National And Local Data. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics, October 1999. Alpert, G. P. & Dunham, R. G. (1999).…
6. Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the expertise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.…
The Use-of-Force Continuum is dependent on two key factors such as defensibility and applicability of the continuum. The continuum must in line with a defendable departmental policy and procedures that have a well thought-out legal standard, and it must be easily comprehended and applied by all officers in the…
The use of excessive force could be used negatively or positively in reducing and controlling crime. Police officers have a rough profession to do, and some of the circumstances they face are as intense as they are risky. The use of force is essential to controlling suspects, and to avoid suspects from harming officers and others. Suspects often become forceful when detained or when they believe they have little or nothing to lose. In a flawless system authorities would use only a reasonable amount of force essential to subdue and apprehend the suspect, but such a text-perfect theory fails to take into justification the actualities of life. Many circumstances of alleged police brutality comes from unnecessary force clashes. Hostile suspects are tough to control and police must rely on training, non-lethal, and lethal force to maintain suspects.…
When used properly, and as a last resort, I believe there are certain situations making it necessary for officers to use force. Law enforcment officials are trained and expected to use force anytime they believe their own or fellow officer’s life is in danger.…
First, the American law enforcement has become much too aggressive with its citizens. There are several reports of police going above and beyond, using extreme measures, to take down the general public. One perfect example would be the MacDonald case. In the summer of 2006 a frail, troubled 18-year-old girl named Ashley MacDonald ran through a nearly empty Huntington Beach, California, city park in the early morning holding a small knife. An onlooker called the police and soon two large male officers showed up. They shot the girl to death with 18 bullets, claiming she had lunged toward them and put their lives in danger (Greenhut, 2008). Another example showing excessive, military force being used would be the Jose Guerena case. The home of former Marine and Iraq combat veteran Jose Guerena was raided by local sheriffs in Pima County, Arizona, who were attempting to execute a narcotics search warrant. Unfortunately, the manner in which the SWAT team invaded Guerena’s home prompted Guerena to reach for his gun to protect himself and his family. Sheriffs then shot off 71 rounds and hit Guerena with 22, killing him (Clabough, 2011).…
Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.…
Law enforcement is allowed to use deadly force only in defense of life, and only as a last ditch effort when no other means are available to protect innocent people and their own lives against imminent, grievous physical injury or death. When an officer even arrives at the scene, there are several factors that may influence the officer to make the decision to use deadly force. Factors such as the type of neighborhood, race, and the behavior of the suspect all play a role in the decision making process to use deadly force.…