The Pros And Cons Of Police Use Of Force

Opponents may state that excessive force is typically used as a method of self-defense, which is a vital component to ensuring that officers go home at the end of each shift. Police officers must take into account not only the lives of others, but their own lives as well. Officers may respond quickly and instinctively in order to protect themselves in a life or death situation. This sort of action is referred to as “Fight or Flight” response. This is an action that takes place in the hypothalamus of the brain, which can cause officers to react according to instinct and disregard any other opposing factors. By working in an environment that can trigger this sort of response for officers, some opponents may believe that the further training of

While opponents of this argument may be partially correct, I do agree that few careers require such dedication from their employees. Police officers must attempt to withhold very high ethical standards with their community as well as their colleagues. Several occupations may require some dedication to complete their in-work tasks, but officers carry this burden outside of working hours as well. Officers are undeniably handed overwhelming loads of responsibility, and these expectations are not easy to meet without a strong sense of purpose and dedication. Officers do not get the opportunity to prepare for their next day of work, rather they are thrown into the unexpected with hopes of being able to “serve and protect.” Often times, these policemen are involved in situations that have the potential to become

If officers would receive more thorough and in-depth training on their weapons and “when to use them,” such as Stoughton stated, a question of ethics would not be at risk for some officers. In order to maintain high authority, officers must not only fulfill their duty to the offender, but to society as a whole. The use of excessive force by officers could potentially result in an unethical case of misconduct. I believe that preventing this would require an understanding of force, not only by the officer, but by the community as well. Officers should avoid using force, lethal or not, until all potential options are executed