In certain situations, the police may have to act quickly on their instincts. Sometimes, a situation is unpredictable and a decision needs to be made in a split second. The quick decision may to be to take a person down physically with the officer’s own hands, or to use deadly force, unfortunately. Anything can happen and the officer needs to be ready for every scenario. The different levels of force can be anywhere from just a police officer being present, to having to kill someone to prevent him or her from hurting anyone else. It’s a harsh reality, but sometimes the officer needs to make the decision to die or to protect him and do what he needs to do.
There are several circumstances in which the police may have to ultimately use force. In a situation with a crazy violent offender who is trying to harm the officer would be a matter of using force to contain the offender to make sure he or she doesn’t hurt him/herself, or anyone else for that matter. Sometimes, a verbal command does the trick. But unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. For instance, if a violent offender was caught in the act of committing a robbery and the police told him to freeze and to drop the weapon; he is bound to get force used against him if he does not comply. If the offender who is committing the robbery lunges at the officer with a weapon or gun, the officer may have to use deadly force against the offender to protect his or her own life on duty.
Every day, law enforcement officers face danger while carrying out their responsibilities. When dealing with a dangerous or unpredictable situation, police officers usually have very little time to assess it and determine the proper response (U.S. Department of Justice). So, if an officer decides ...
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...l is to use unarmed physical force or force using non lethal weapons. Police often use their own discretion in order to find the best way to go about solving a difficult situation (The Associated Press). They have to make haste decisions of how to get an offender under control or apprehended.
Works Cited
Forced to Shoot. Dir. A&E. 2001.
Hearst Communications Inc. The Use of Force: Defining Force. 2008. 17 November 2009 .
Mangan, David. Police Brutality: The Use of Excessive Force. New York, May 2006.
Ramsey, Josh. Defensive Devices. 2007. 15 November 2009 .
The Associated Press. Study Examines Police Use Of Deadly Force. 2009. 14 November 2009 .
U.S. Department of Justice. Use of Force. 30 April 2008. 15 November 2009 .
Most law enforcement agencies have policies that determine the use of force needed. The policies describe the escalating series of actions an officer can take to resolve a situation, first level is officer presence which means no force is used, and just the mere presence can reduce
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
Law enforcement officers are in constant dangerous situations while out doing their responsibilities. When in these threatening situations, police officers typically have little to no time to determine the right precaution. These precautions may lead to the death of a suspect or even the officer themselves. The media has recently shed light on police brutality with use of force. Use of force could be defined as the amount of effort an officer must use in order to make an unwilling subject compel. Police officers are usually trained to enable the proper responsible to a dangerous situation they may be put in. In this paper I will go through the guidelines that a police officer must obey when considering a certain degree of use of force. Within each guideline there will be the pro and cons with that situation and also a recent case that happened. This paper will also talk about how this topic can be addressed more properly. These guidelines that officer are taught during their training are called Use of Force Continuum.
The use of force is a heated topic among many people. What is the “Use of Force Continuum”? It is the level of force an officer can use when arresting or subduing a suspect. According to Hicks (2004), “It is considered morally reprehensible for an officer or a sovereign agent to use excessive force without due necessity. However, once the need arises for a proper escalation of force, both the doctrinal theses of just war and the use of force continuum provide for a proper and morally principled use of necessary force” (pg. 255). The use of force continuum was created to guide officers so they are less likely to use excessive force. The officer is expected to use more force than the suspect, but no so that it is deemed excessive. According to Lyman
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.
The use of physical deadly force occurs when an officers intentionally uses a firearm or other instrument resulting in a high probability of death. The use of deadly physical force should only be used if there is imminent danger to officers or the lives others 257. Importance- In law enforcement an induvial may be faced with the choice of having to use physical force or physical deadly force. That induvial has to use his/her personal judgment, which could lead to life changing
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.
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.
“But they didn't have to beat me this bad. I don't know what I did to be beat up." Rodney King, March 3, 1991. Police Brutality has been a long lasting problem in the United States since at least 1903 when police Captain Williams of the New York Police Department said the phrase, "There is more law at the end of a policeman's nightstick than in a decision of the Supreme Court." In the 1920's the Wichersham Commission had a number of instances of police brutality. Many of these included the use of the "third degree" (beating to obtain a confession). This is a very effective way to get a confession out of somebody. However, beating the accused could easily elicit a confession from a scared and innocent person. Also, this puts the accused person's life in danger. Police officers must make snap life and death decisions daily. Officers' work in an environment where death (theirs, their partners, and an innocent or guilty person) is one decision away. How does that constant fear effect an officer's perception? Unfortunately, many that are attracted to law enforcement are aggressive and prone towards violence as a solution. Police officers have a lot of power. With this power comes responsibility. Police brutality can be defined as the excessive or unreasonable use of force in dealing with citizens, suspects and offenders.
Officer “presence” can effect how a group of individuals chooses to behave in a certain setting (Butler, n.d., p. 19). There can be a suitable outcome in which the suspects don’t need any verbal commands; they change their behavior as a result of the officers being at the scene (Butler, n.d., p. 19). On the opposite side of the spectrum there can be a flawed outcome in which the suspects choose not to listen (Butler, n.d., p. 19). This can
For example, according to Dara lind “Officer’s aren’t supposed to shoot to kill. They’re supposed to do whatever is necessary to disable the threat”(Lind). Whenever an officer gets caught up in a difficult situation where deadly force is needed for the most part officers do shoot to kill because they feel like there life is in danger themselves. Yes like they said they are supposed to do whatever is necessary so therefore if shooting to kill someone is necessary to them then for police officers it is the right thing to do. But in reality in some occasions deadly force by a cop resulting in someone’s death is not needed and there should be other alternatives to handle difficult problems like that. In addition, “Usually, the point from where the officer believes he has to use deadly force to the point where he uses deadly force -- where he pulls
Police use discretion through weighing the costs and benefits of each situation (Wilson, 1968). The helpfulness of their choice is much more important than obeying their duty or moral. Thus, when normal force is explained it is done under the pretense of justifiably. To recap, normal force is simply the force used under police discretion that is neither legally taught nor brutal (Hunt, 1985). Normal force is justified by taking responsibility for their actions, yet denying they were wrong because of situational or abstract events. At other times officers use excuses for normal force and recognize their use of force as inappropriate. They will recall emotional or psychological states as a reason for such inappropriate actions.
Recently in the United States there has been in increase in deaths that have come from police officers using deadly force. The use of force is inevitable as a police officer, many times their own lives or the life’s civilians are at risk when it comes to determine what type of force a officer should use. There are many incidents where police officer have to react in a matter of seconds and has to choose between his own life or that of the individual causing the disturbance. When a Police Officer uses deadly force has caused outraged with the public, stirring up protests and creating a scandal for the police officer and the Police Department. Many do not know when it is right for an officer to use deadly force and what constitutes it, or what happens when the officer does not use the appropriate amount of force that is required to control the situation. There has been many changes in Police Departments around the country to try to reduce the use of deadly force in response to the issues that have occurred because of it.
In addition this it provides an outside viewpoint on the situation and allows officers to be held accountable for their actions if need so. Officers are hesitant when helping the crown when it involves their coworkers (textbook, police use of forcep193). As a result of this the Ontario Police Act has been altered, it now declares that officers must comply with any reviews of officers (textbook, police use of forcep193). There are three guidelines that need to be followed if the topic of deadly force needs to be analyzed effectively (textbook, police use of forcep193). First being death, if an officer uses a lethal weapon and kills the accused (textbook, police use of forcep193). Second, the officer uses a lethal weapon and as a result is severly injured but lives (textbook, police use of forcep193). Lastly, the officer uses a lethal weapon and the accused is not injured (textbook, police use of forcep193). In Canada it is difficult to find reliable information; reports are private and not available to the public (textbook, police use of forcep193). The question gets raised if officers are responding correctly in the situations that they encounter, or if having public records would be more beneficial to police forces and
Everyday law enforcement personal have the possibility to face dangerous events in their daily duties. In performing such duties a police officer could come by a seemingly ordinary task, and in a blink of an eye the event can turn threatening and possible deadly. When or if this happens to an officer they won’t have