The Use of Deadly Force by Police Officers
opinion Essay
1121 words
The use of deadly force by police officers is a very important subject in today’s society. Many consider the use of deadly force excessive in most cases. However, there are many aspects to look at when considering this topic, such as: Why was deadly force required? When did the officer feel it necessary to apply deadly force? What will be the implications for the officer after the fact? How does the use of deadly force affect society as a whole? In order to get all of the answers to these questions, we must first define deadly force. According to the Legal Dictionary "Use of deadly force" is often granted to police forces when the person or persons in question are believed to be an immediate danger to people around them. For example, an armed man in a shopping mall shooting at civilians without regard to the safety of anyone around him, and refusing or being unwilling to negotiate, would warrant usage of deadly force, as a means to prevent further danger to the community. The use of deadly force is also authorized when a person poses a significant threat to a law enforcement officer, usually when the officer is at risk of serious bodily injury or death. The OLR Research Report gives in detail what procedures Connecticut law requires when a law enforcement officer uses deadly force. In the summary, it states that “the statutory standards allow an officer to use deadly physical force when the officer reasonably believes it is necessary to (1) defend himself or herself or a third person from the use or imminent use of deadly physical force or (2) arrest or prevent the escape of someone the officer reasonably believes has committed or attempted to commit a felony involving the infliction or threat of serious physical injury and... ... middle of paper ... ...d, rationalization and acceptance and this can take a long time. In essence, this phase deals with the officer coming to terms with the incident and making peace within himself, even though some officers deal with one incident for a lifetime. Unfortunately, many officers never fully recover from this type of incident and experience many post traumatic symptoms for years and in the worst cases have jeopardized their careers or committed suicide. Law enforcement departments can offer psychological therapy and friends and family can offer support, but the officer is the individual who must overcome this tragic event. In conclusion, according to the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, “often it is not a law enforcement shooting that generates negative consequences, but, rather, it is how the involved agency handles the incident that can foster and feed misperceptions.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the use of deadly force by police officers is a very important subject in today's society.
- Explains that deadly force is often granted to police forces when the person or persons in question are believed to be an immediate danger to people around them.
- States that the olr research report states connecticut law requires an officer to use deadly force when he or she believes it is necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person from the use or imminent use of deadly physical force.
- Explains how the fbi law enforcement bulletin outlines six investigative elements in a case of deadly force. the process could take months or years to sort out.
- Explains that the criminal justice process involves the gathering of evidence by the proper authorities, witness testimonies, expert testimony, psychological examinations, forensic reports, ballistics reports and extensive preparation on the part of the prosecutor and unfortunately media coverage.
- Opines that public outcry has caused these types of situations to be glamorized and highly publicized.
- Explains that the number one stressor for a police officer is killing someone in the line of duty. there are several sources of stress involved with an officer-involved shooting.
- Explains that when an officer uses deadly force, it changes their perception of things. many officers experience behavioral disturbances and slower cognitive response time.
- Explains the five phases of the post-shooting reaction: concern about being able to pull the trigger, exhilaration, recoil, and remorse.
- Opines that many officers never fully recover from this type of incident and experience many post traumatic symptoms for years. the officer is the individual who must overcome this tragic event.
- Concludes that it is not a law enforcement shooting that generates negative consequences, but how the involved agency handles the incident that fosters misperceptions.
Related
- explanatory
- opinion
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- Use Of Force Essayexplanatory essayWas the intrusion based on a lawful objective, such as a valid arrest, detention, search, frisk, community warden guardian of mentally ill, defense of an officer or a citizen, or to prevent escape? If these answer yes then an officer may have legal ability to use the levels of force listed below to apprehend the suspect. Another list of things to consider when determining if it was a lawful use of force is; was the use of force relative to the person’s confrontation? Was there a crucial need to terminate the condition? Even though there is no duty to retreat, could the officer have used lesser force and still safely accomplish the lawful objective? These are the questions that the jury need to answer to determine if they should side with or against the officer in any court case brought to them that deals with such a controversial topic as this.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the use of force for police officers is justified and right, because it can help save the officers and witnesses lives.
- Explains that every day law enforcement personnel face dangerous events in their daily duties. the legal test of excessive force is whether the police officer reasonably believed that force was necessary to complete a legitimate police purpose.
- Describes the questions that the jury needs to answer to determine if they should side with or against the officer in any court case dealing with such a controversial topic.
- Describes the six levels of force an officer can use and may have to use during their time as a police officer.
- Explains that deadly force is the "dead" last resort, meaning an officer shouldn't use it unless it is absolutely necessary, like in the modern case of michael brown vs. darren wilson.
- Opines that police policy of force is justified, right, and needed to keep the peace of the nation.
- Explains that in tennessee v. garner the court had to decide whether or not using deadly force to apprehend a fleeing felon is justified. justice sandra day o’connor wrote an opposition stating that the majority went too far in overturning long-standing common law and police practices.
- Explains that officer carr came to the scene and heard shots fired. he came across montoute while he was carrying a sawed-off shotgun, but didn't stop and ran off past the officers. the court ruled for the officer.
- Explains that scott v. harris was in a high-speed chase with defendant harris. the officer applied his bumper cage to the rear of harris’ motor vehicle, causing him to crash.
- Opines that officers should be able to use force to keep themselves from getting wounded or worst killed. they also point out that a majority of officers are parents.
1524 wordsRead More - The Police Force: The Use Of Forceopinion essayAccording to the Dictionary of Policing, “Force is the exercise of physical coercion by the police in the performance of their duties” (Rappert). While many believe that the use of force by police is not needed and only causes more problems, there are also people who support officers and their use of force in order to protect. Police should be able to use force without opposition to detain people trying to harm others, save their own lives, and stop escalating situations.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that police should be able to use force without opposition to detain people trying to harm others, save their own lives, and stop escalating situations.
- Explains that police officers' job is to protect civilians by keeping criminals off the streets. some people try to turn the use of force into a race issue when it has absolutely nothing to do with it.
- Opines that police officers and law enforcement have a mission to keep civilians safe, but they also strive to stay alive themselves.
- Explains that police stop escalating situations before they become too large to handle. in cases of school shootings, if officers are proactive and able to get there quickly, many lives could be saved.
- Opines that police officers and law enforcement should be able to execute whatever type of force is needed to control the situation. without such force, the country would become like many others lacking order.
1005 wordsRead More - Alternatives to Deadly Force: A Look at Tasers, Pepper Spray, Bean Bag Guns and Batonsexplanatory essayThe purpose is to explain the necessity and the alternatives to deadly force. Necessity of deadly force will include laws that have been passed by the United States Supreme Court, training methods and policies of Federal, State and Local agencies Alternatives to deadly force are less-lethal weapons that are used by law enforcement today, TASERS, pepper spray, bean bag guns and batons. Does deadly force need to be used against violent suspects?
In this essay, the author
- Explains the necessity and alternatives to deadly force. alternatives include less-lethal weapons such as tasers, pepper spray, bean bag guns, and batons.
- Explains that federal law allows officers to use deadly force if suspects pose a threat to law enforcement officers or the public.
- Opines that corrections officers are reluctant to use deadly force because they fear being wrong.
- Explains that chicago police superintendent, jody weis, came up with a new policy, which allows police to shoot at fleeing vehicles if the driver or passenger is suspected in committing felony. the policy is under review and will be considered.
- Explains that less lethal weapons are becoming more popular as law enforcement moves away from deadly force. the 12 gauge bean bag round is an impact projectile that temporarily disables a suspect.
- Explains that deadly force was not necessary because there was a less lethal way of handling the situation. the second legal issue is that the officer's actions made it necessary.
- Explains minnesota's state law on deadly force must include the words probable cause for training purposes. the law is the same as federal law, but with different wording.
- Explains that training of deadly force is an important aspect of law enforcement. it should cover knowledge and skills that are necessary for officers/agents to make the right decisions.
- Explains that training is important to law enforcement, not only with policies of deadly force, but also using deadly forces.
- Explains that out of 40 million arrests, deaths under police custody are rare. about half of them were killed by police as they attempted to flee or were scuffling with the police.
- Explains that bean bag ammunition for the 12 gauge shotgun was introduced to the lapd in 1995 due to a push in less lethal force in violent situations.
- Explains that the federal law enforcement training center stopped instructing the use of force model because they were conflicting with the fourth amendment and the u.s. supreme court laws.
- Explains that batons and other striking weapons are becoming obsolete due to the use of tasers, pepper spray and non-lethal guns.
- Explains that law enforcement follows three standards of conduct with the use of deadly force. the beanbag gun is an efficient less lethal weapon.
3240 wordsRead More - Police Brutality and the Use of Forceexplanatory essayThere are very few careers with as high demands for an ethical standard as law enforcement. Although there are many careers, which require a dedication to doing the right thing, it is undeniable that there is a tremendous degree of responsibility and expectations placed on the police officer. While most professions allow for careful thought and planning, a police officer is often thrust into a situation with little advanced intelligence about what is occurring. Often an officer is involved in a situation which has the potential to turn violent. Relying on training allows the officer to successfully navigate a variety of situations.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that resistance may include psychological intimidation and/or verbal resistance (e.g., blank stare, clenching of fists, tightening of jaw muscles).
- Describes any type of resistance whereby the subject doesn't attempt to defeat the officer's attempted touch and control, but still refuses to comply with verbal and physical attempts of control.
- Describes any action by a subject that attempts to prevent an officer from gaining control of the subject.
- Describes physical actions/assaults against the officer or another person with less than deadly force.
- Explains that force used against an officer or another person may result in great bodily harm or the loss of life.
- Explains identification of authority (i.e., uniformed presence, or identification as a police officer) and verbal direction (for arrest or to control subjects movements).
- Explains that there are few careers with as high demands for an ethical standard as law enforcement, but there is a tremendous degree of responsibility and expectations placed on the police officer.
- Argues that the application of force is ethically neutral and can constitute an abuse of authority.
- Explains the three basic theories that explain why some officers choose to step over the line and become criminals themselves.
- Explains that most modern law enforcement agencies recruit, hire, and train only persons with a strong moral character before they begin their initial police training in the academy.
- Opines that two mindsets can be implemented in all police training programs, such as defensive maneuvers and an extensive background investigation.
- Explains that police officers are put in situations on a daily basis which can test their ability to make sound ethical decisions. it is ultimately up to the individual officer on whether or not they will succumb to corruption.
- Cites paxson, p., and walch, j. weston. police use of force in america 2001.
2530 wordsRead More - Deadly Force Research Papercomparative essayDeadly Force Applications Sacramento Police Department: Besides talking about use of force in general, no specific mention of used of deadly force is mentioned. San Bernardino Police Department: Again, very similar departments such as the one in Duluth, Minnesota, and Anaheim, California, the SBPD policy states that the use of deadly force is reasonable in the following scenarios: to keep peace officers, or others, safe from death or grave harm, to make an arrest of someone who is believed to have committed a felony and used or threatened deadly force, or to make an arrest of someone who is attempting to commit a felony and the officer believes the person may use deadly force if he/she is not captured. Moreover, use of deadly force towards a
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the sbpd policy states that use of deadly force is reasonable in the following scenarios: to keep peace officers, or others, safe from death or grave harm.
- Explains that the sbpd gave specific scenarios of when deadly force should be used while the spd did not really distinguish between their use of force policy and use
- Explains the san bernardino police department's policy that any use of force should be reported as soon as possible depending on the type of incident.
- Compares how the spd and the sbpd bring up the need to report use of force incidents. the spd relies on supervisors to determine if they should report.
488 wordsRead More - The Self Defense/Excessive Force Wild Cardopinion essayWith my research, one can see how this controversy has two very distinct sides, however, what facts that aren’t as evident in my writing fall into a grey area. I conducted my research by mainly shifting through several online journals and newspapers using the database called News Bank. Since this issue is very local I decided that the Albuquerque Journal would be the best source. Most of the journal articles were either supporting the idea of police abusing their power or defending the police’s right to self-defense, however, there were several periodicals that suggest a neutral ground between the two extremes. These articles suggested that it was solely biased on the situation in which each officer was in and to never assume that all situations in which an officer faces the decision to use deadly force will be identical or justified.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that in albuquerque new mexico, situations like this happen all the time on a regular basis.
- Explains that the albuquerque journal was the best source for their research, since the controversy has two distinct sides.
- Opines that the citizens of albuquerque can voice their opinions through rallies and gatherings. the city council approved the doj resolution on a 5-4 vote.
- Analyzes how mckay and proctor portrays that if the justice department discovers a "pattern or practice" in police misconduct, the city will have an intervention by developing an "plan of action"
- Opines that police chief ray schultz will make changes to the apd's policies to reduce the increase of officer-involved shootings.
- Explains that albuquerque has the highest ratio of population to police involved shootings in six cities.
1021 wordsRead More - Police Officers: The Challange of Handlig a Riotexplanatory essayEach and every-day of our lives we are protected by men and women in the police force. Police officers must handle extremely dangerous situations like fights, robberies, or even riots. During riots police officers use many weapons to subdue rioters, but sometimes the less lethal weapons can be just as bad as the lethal ones.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that police officers must handle extremely dangerous situations like fights, robberies, or even riots.
- Opines that the world would be a completely different place if there weren't any police officers.
- Describes the requirements to be a police officer and explains how they are very strict. they demonstrate their physical fitness through agility, strength, and endurance tests.
- Explains that most police officers carry a pistol with them at all times. the glock handgun is reliable and reliable, but officers can carry any gun they choose.
- Explains that police belts aren't as lethal as a shotgun or handgun but can cause pain. some officers like to carry knives because it increases the chances of it falling into the wrong hands.
- Explains that police handcuffs are used more than any other item on a police belt. they are strong and durable, and they can apprehend multiple perpetrators when alone.
- Explains that police officers need to be prepared for the worst during riots. they will wear body armor and padding on their shoulders, elbows, knees and stomach.
- Explains that police officers receive grenade launchers, m14's, and mine resistant vehicles during riots but there are non-lethal weapons that can be used.
- Opines that even though rioters outnumber the police officers, the officers are trained and prepared for anything to happen.
- Explains the current use of less lethal force in prison riots. corrections & prison riots (http://www.securitydii.com/corrections-prison-riot
- Explains how riot control works and the standard police equipment used by the u.s. police.
1172 wordsRead More - criminal justiceexplanatory essayWhen does deadly force cross the line and when does officer feels his/her life is grave danger and to escape has to use deadly force? What circumstances will justify the use of deadly force? Deadly Force depends on the officer discretion, when the officer makes the decision to investigate suspects. Also it depends on the how strongly the officers follow the Code of Ethics. In the Code of Ethics in paragraph 3 it reads “I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will , never employing force or violence and never accepting gratuities.” So an officer who truly follows the Code of Ethics I think would be less likely to use deadly force, and the officer probably has a higher tolerance than a officer who doesn’t follow the Code of Ethics so closely. The Bureau of Justice statistics in 2001 reported nearly 400 felons died from use of deadly force. But also when an officer decides to use deadly force they must be thinking if their actions are going to be justifiable through the publics eye and their police department and so forth. So many things come into ...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the fbi defines deadly force as the intentional use of firearms or other instruments resulting in a high probability of death.
- Explains that deadly force depends on officer discretion, when the officer makes the decision to investigate suspects, and how strongly the officers follow the code of ethics.
- Explains the five elements of deadly force, including defense of life, fleeing subject, verbal warnings, warning shots, and vehicles.
- Agrees with the officers policy except their policy would have some moderate adjustments. the first element would state defense of life, 2nd fleeing subject, 3rd verbal warnings, 4th warning shots.
- Explains that they don't want to intentionally kill the suspects, but rather bring them into custody to get them a sentence in jail.
672 wordsRead More - Responsibility Of Deadly Inherent Dangers Faced By Policeexplanatory essayPolice are generally held to a slightly less stringent standard than civilians in light of the inherent danger of their occupation and the need to protect the public from dangerous individuals. Thus, police are generally able to use lethal force in any setting provided that they have a reasonable belief that a suspect poses a risk of imminent bodily harm to the officer or a member of the public. Police can’t use deadly force against someone who is they know to be unarmed in some situations where that person shows no immediate threat, such as a suspect who is fleeing or someone who has already been restrained
In this essay, the author
- Explains that police are held to a slightly less stringent standard than civilians in light of the inherent danger of their occupation and the need to protect the public from dangerous individuals.
108 wordsRead More - An officer may use deadly force in only five circumstances. The five circumstances go like this: self defense, defense of others, to prevent the theft from using nuclear weapons or explosives, special nuclear devices, and to prevent a suspect from escaping, but only if the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect has committed any offenses that are listed above. Sixty nine percent of the victims of police brutality in the United States who are African-American/Black were suspected of a non-violent crime and were unarmed. People who are unarmed pose NO threat. “Police departments across the country too often use excessive force, injuring and occasionally killing people who pose little threat”
In this essay, the author
- Opines that police officer's themselves know and understand what they are doing wrong. they are scared that speaking up about their mishandling will result in hostile treatment.
- Explains that people who pose little threat are also victims of ruthlessness. a bad attitude can lead to being thrown behind bars.
- Argues that police brutality is a deadly weapon used against minorities. the first cases date back to the 1800s and early 1900s.
- Explains that an officer may use deadly force in only five circumstances, including self defense, defense of others, and to prevent the theft from using nuclear weapons or explosives.
- Opines that police brutality affects the lives of the innocent and minority.
1495 wordsRead More