physical. This is the last step before there is physical contact or use of weapons so it is beneficial to both them and the subject in question if the conflict ends verbally.
Stage 3 When verbal intervention doesn’t work or is not effective against the situation at hand then police may need to use hand control and hand submission techniques. These are important if a police officer needs to get either offensive or defensive in order to protect themselves, others, or the suspect from causing harm to their own person. Some holds that the police us are developed from martial arts. They are intended to induce pain on the subject in order to gain their compliance with minimum to no injury inflicted on the officer or offender (Boggs, 2007, pg. 23).
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Deadly force can come from using objects such as a vehicle, knife, or other everyday items that can become makeshift weapons. However, when talking about lethal weapons the gun is the most commonly thought of instrument. There is an abundance of firearms possessed by the public and used in crimes which is why police need firearms to protect themselves from the same threat (Boggs, 2007, pg. 35). Police would not have the ability to protect the public if they were able to be overpowered by offenders. Firearms are used for the ultimate life and death encounters (Boggs, 2007, pg. 36) and nothing less. These types of confrontations are rare but necessary when people’s lives are at risk. Deadly force is used in less than 1% of physical force conflicts (Boggs, 2007, pg. 37). When these types of conflict occur there is a high probability of serious injury or death. Due to the risks involved with the use of deadly force officers try to avoid these situations. The goal is to de-escalate the situation or stop it from escalating in the first …show more content…
They are in wide use though, with more than 9,500 law enforcement agencies using them across the globe (Boggs, 2007, pg. 40). There is controversy as to how lethal these weapons are and at what point officers should be allowed to use them. Some people believe that Tasers are dangerous and could lead to death. 70 people in the U.S. and Canada have died since June 2001 after being struck by a Taser (Boggs, 2007, pg. 42). It is thought that these deaths have not been due to just the Taser alone. Risk is heightened when individuals have pre-existing medical conditions, are intoxicated or under the influence or drugs, or are covered in any substance that could be ignited with the electrical shocks. There are also those who believe that Tasers are beneficial to the police force. Since Tasers have been put in use by the police, officer injuries have decreased by 25% (Boggs, 2007, pg. 42). Tasers can be effective in keeping officers and the public out of harm’s way. Research has also found that there is no cardiac danger for the person at the receiving end of a Taser (Boggs, 2007, pg.
However, the TASER has faced massive amounts of bad press and negative views among members of the public. Electro-muscular disruption has become a very controversial issue among society, with some describing it as extremely painful and a form of torture. The true power of the TASER has been witnessed over its short history, causing physical problems, psychological problems and even death. This is becoming more concerning with the TASER becoming the first resort rather than the last resort. With the TASER being carried by an ever-growing population of police officers, alternate forms of less lethal may need to be looked at.
This essay will focus on two main points that will support the argument that more Tasers should not be given to more officers. First off, there has not been enough research completed to deem Tasers as a safe alternative weapon that officers can use to gain compliance of violent individuals that they may deal with on a day-to-day basis. Before more Tasers are given to officers, there needs to be more research done outlining the possible risks that CEWs pose to the human body, and any short or long term affects that may arise due to the use of CEWs on individuals. Secondly, the issuing of Tasers to more officers is not a good idea because just like anything else, Tasers can lead to an overreliance on the part of police officers to resort to the use of Tasers on individuals who do not comply with them. This along with the absence of clear and strict guidelines that stipulate when officers are to use their Tasers on non-compliant individuals will lead to abuse. Many police officers may decide to bypass the use of verbal commands, empty-handed strikes, and other tools at their disposal such as the ASP baton, when dealing with a violent individual...
With the articles and past research that I have collected, studies tell us that less than 3 percent of police-citizen contacts involve the threat of physical force by the police. The percentages are higher when the level of force is below lethal force, for instance 20 percent of arrests may involve some type of special or needed force to obtain and control the suspect in able to put him in custody. In the academy, police officers are taught to use equal or greater force to subdue the suspect and do what is necessary to protect the public and also look out for officer safety. Most incidents of force are low level applications such as using the arms, hands, legs, or their bodies to gain control of the suspect. Every police officer is supposed to be trained to a certain standard, and should be able to use the correct amount of force for the situation at hand. Police officers have situational training in the academy on what level of force to use if necessary. All police officers are equipped to handle most if not all situations or levels of force that is need to
Over the years, our nation has witnessed countless cases of police brutality. It has developed into a controversial topic between communities. For instance, deindustrialization is the removal or reduction of manufacturing capability or activity can lead to more crimes when people are laid off. Police officers are faced with many threatening situations day-to-day gripping them to make split second decisions; either to expect the worst or hope for the best. The police are given the authority to take any citizen away for their action that can ruin their lives. With that kind of power comes great responsibility, which is one main concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force might or
When hearing the phrase “police brutality,” many people imagine batons cracking skulls, tasers electrocuting bodies and bullets penetrating innocent teens. While police officers have been known to use violence, police brutality does not occur as often as many believe. In many situations, officers have to act on impulse and curiosity, despite the backlash the media may create.
Police brutality is a very real problem that many Americans face today. The police carry an enormous burden each day. Police work is very stressful and involves many violent and dangerous situations. In many confrontations the police are put in a position in which they may have to use force to control the situation. There are different levels of force and the situation dictates the level use most of the time. The police have very strict rules about police use force and the manner in which they use it. In this paper I will try to explain the many different reason the police cross the line, and the many different people that this type of behavior effects. There are thousands of reports each year of assaults and ill treatment against officers who use excessive force and violate the human rights of their victims. In some cases the police have injured and even killed people through the use of excessive force and brutal treatment. The use of excessive force is a criminal act and I will try and explore the many different factors involved in these situations.
The authors also explain that there are no real statistics to help explain how many times an officer has used a firearm. The text explains that there is no significant data to help explain police shootings and how many occur each year (Kappeler & Potter, 2005). Most of the data that can be found does not clearly state the numbers of times a firearm was used. Majority of data is found through data bases such as Vital Statistics (Kappeler & Potter, 2005). Even data bases such as Vital Statistics do not provide clear information on police
As a result, “Nearly all agree that when an officer is facing a deadly threat, the proper response is to use deadly force”(Lind). Yes there are many people out there that can be a deadly threat to police officers because the way they are acting but, there are many innocent people that do not affect anyone and still have to be a part of the problem for no given reason. Although a police officer’s proper response is to use deadly force upon someone, there should be other alternatives or ways they can use before going into deadly force and possibly cause someone to lose their live. I certainly do understand that there are certain situations where a cop is coming across someone that is pointing a gun or knife at them and approaching towards them. So therefore them using deadly force would possibly be the right thing to do if they have too, but before using deadly force they should at least try deploying tasers or using bean bag guns to attempt in taking them
Just it isn’t a fake scene this is real life. There are six levels of force an officer can use and may have to use doing there time as an officer. The lowest level of force is presence of an officer at the scene and the officer’s body stance. This level of force is used typically whenever an officer first appears to a scene or a call. The second level of force is verbal control or commands. The verbal use of force is when an officer demands you to do something. The third level is physical control. This level involves escort holds, pain or pressure compliance. This force is brought in when a suspect tries to resist arrest or verbal commands. The fourth level is really close to the third, this is serious physical control. This really is when you use carotid control and electronic devices. The carotid control is a kind of choke hold which makes the person want to comply. The fifth level is impact and weapons. This is when you first so your willingness to use your baton by touching it or holding it out. Then possibly cause the suspect to feint so he or she can’t resist again. The last resort is deadly force. Most officer try their hardest to not have to get to this level or even be in a position to which this force is used. But deadly force is drawing your gun, pointing your gun, and, or finally firing your gun. (Police
It is safe to say that tasers are not as lethal as guns, but they can still cause serious damage to individuals. This is because not everyone has the same body, and not everyone will have the same reaction to 50,000 volts of electricity. In the text, “Taser Controversy Refuses to Die” by author Matthew Davis, “the ‘less - than - lethal’ weapons have involved one 74 deaths in the United States and Canada” (5,1). Tasers are known as weapons that are not as dangerous as guns, but they somehow still cause a noticeable number of deaths in just the United States and Canada.
Over the years, this country has witnessed many cases of police brutality. It has become a controversial topic among communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes. Officers are faced with many threatening situations everyday forcing them to make split second decisions and to expect the worst and hope for the best. Police officers are given the power to take any citizens rights away and even their lives. With that kind of power comes responsibility, that’s one major concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use force or when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force may or not be a large predicament but should be viewed by both the police and the community.
Many do not know what Deadly Force is and when is the appropriate time for the Police Officer to use it. According to CFR 1047.7 “Deadly Force means that force which is reasonable person would consider likely to cause death or serious body harm”. This means that deadly force is supposed to be used as a last resort when Police Officer cannot get the situation under. To be able to use Deadly Force it has to be justified only if when all of the lesser means have failed to work or they cannot be employed reasonably. A Police Officer that is protective is authorized to use deadly force only when one of the five circumstances exist. The first circumstance is “Self-Defense, Serious Offenses against persons, Nuclear Weapon...
Squires, P., Kennison, P. (2010) Shooting to kill: Policing, Firearms and Armed Response. Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Physical brutality in interrogations is a controversial subject in the American criminal justice system. Views vary from beliefs that officers have too much power in interrogations to officers have not enough discretion in interrogations. The use of force in interrogations can have a profound effect on the outcomes of a case. This paper will talk about the past and present of physical brutality in interrogations, the use of force in federal interrogations, and recent cases involving physical brutality in interrogations. Involuntary confessions and physical brutality in investigations often correlate with each other.
Gul, Zakir, Hakan Hekim, and Ramazan Terkesil. “Controlling Police (Excessive) Force: The American Case.” International Journal of Human Sciences 10.2 (2013): 285-303. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.