The use of force by law enforcement officers is sometimes required when dealing with suspects resisting arrest and/or individuals disobeying direct orders. However, when the use of force becomes excessive or is used unnecessarily, law enforcement officers are arguably committing ethical violations. (Peak, 2011) Police officers are given the responsibility of enforcing laws and ordinances to provide protection of life and property. Therefore, the ability of law enforcement officials to to cope with situations firmly, courteously, tactfully, and with respect for the rights of others is undoubtedly essential to the occupation. The duties of apprehending the most unruly of criminals is a challenge placed on the shoulders of our law enforcement professionals. During theses times the behaviors carried out by officers is highly scrutinized and upheld to both the department and …show more content…
This is not a new concept to law enforcement, but it’s one that seems continually violated. Military practices of escalation of force teach to allow the person you’re confronting determine the level of force (U.S. Marine Corps, 2014). Teaching phrases such as “shout, show, shove, shoot.” can help encourage the using the lowest effective level of force necessary first. Non-lethal methods of force should be primarily used in order to control a situation involving an unruly individual, unless there is an obvious immanent danger of life present. Although, it should be noted that when not properly applied non-lethal methods of force can quickly become lethal themselves. Therefore, rather than implementing a whole new range of policies to dictate the behaviors of officers, lets focus on changing the culture amongst law enforcement, provide better training on when and how to use force, and have more accountability when that standard is not
Police Brutality 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. For those people who feel racism is not a factor in causing the use of excessive force, here is a startling fact. In Tampa Bay, Florida, five men died while in the custody of the
The job of a law enforcement officer sometimes can be tough. Officer are sometimes plagued with situation that test their ability to enforce the law and maintain order. Police officers today face a constant battle to maintain higher ethical standards. This mission becomes tougher each day when one considers the importance of fighting terrorism, drugs, human trafficking,
The use of force, particularly with correlation to officer morale and/or inadequate education/training, has become particularly problematic. Measures should be taken to reduce the injury to suspects, particularly physical injury resulting from poor officer tactics or malicious intentions not related to upholding the law. These are problems, which, if properly handled and rectified, will result in improved officer morale, improved relationships with the public as well as ensure a continued upstanding reputation for the oldest police force in the nation.
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 misconduct is as rampant as ever in America, and it has become a fixture of the news cycle. Police brutality is the use of any force exceeding that reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful police purpose. The media is inevitably drawn toward tales of conflict, hence why there are so many crime and police stories on the news. Despite the increasing frequency of misbehaving cops, many Americans still maintain a high respect for the man in uniform. Still, police misconduct is a systemic problem, not just an anecdotal one. Here are some reasons why it is a problem. First, many departments don’t provide adequate training in nonviolent solutions. With this, police are unfamiliar with what to do in a non-violent situation, often resorting
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.
Police misconduct is as rampant as ever in America, and it has become a fixture of the news cycle. Police brutality is the use of any force exceeding that reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful police purpose. The media is inevitably drawn toward tales of conflict, hence why there are so many crime and police stories on the news. Despite the increasing frequency of misbehaving cops, many Americans still maintain a high respect for the man in uniform. Still, police misconduct is a systemic problem, not just an anecdotal one. Here are some reasons why it is a problem. First, many departments do not provide adequate training in nonviolent solutions. With this, police are unfamiliar with what to
Attention Getter: Are all the officers who are intended to "Protect and Serve" really following through with that?
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.
A '''use of force continuum''' is a standard that affords law enforcement officials & security officers (police, probation, or corrections) with guidelines as to how much use of force may be used against a repelling subject in a given situation. In certain ways it is similar to the military’s escalation of force. The reason of these models is to clarify, both for officers and citizens, the complex subject of use of force by law officers. They are often vital parts of law enforcement agencies' use of force policies. Although various agencies have developed different models of the continuum, there is no universal standard model (Stetser, 2001, p. 36)
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.
The use of force by police officers is under scrutiny from both individuals and other police officers. Many people wonder how much force law enforcement officers should use, and at what point does the use of force become excessive. The major research question within the studies provided is: What contributes to the use of excessive force? What causes police officers to go to the extreme when using force? Research has examined the use of force used by some police officers when it comes to arresting, obtaining, and securing the streets for public safety. The purpose of this paper is to explore possible factors that may influence police officers to unlawfully practice the use of excessive force and what can be done in order to help reduce the incidents particularly within law enforcement personals and agency policies.
A quintessential element in the field of law enforcement is the potential for suspects whom officers contact to become resistive and combative. When instances like this occur it is highly probable that officers will have a need to use force. With the ever growing skepticism of law enforcement and the frequent Monday morning quarterbacking that happens with police incidents, many agencies are teaching their officers about tactical communication and how to disarm and diffuse certain situations with the use of words. Tactical communication is not a new notion, but it is a concept that has been revisited and revised and it appears that in this day and age it has reached a much more compelling form. But just how truly effective is tactical communication when higher levels of force are not appropriate? It is my goal through my research paper to shed some light on a police tactic that is not as critically noted but is equally if not more so significant to use in daily police operations.
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.
Police psychology is broadly defined as the application of psychological principles and methods to law enforcement. With the popularity of television shows like Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU, the job of a police psychologist has become more well known and even popular. As seen on these shows, a police psychologist can be helpful in profiling a criminal, but they also provide many other services to the members of a police department. Although the development of this field has a long history, police psychology as a separate entity is still relatively recent and growing. This intimate relationship between psychology and law enforcement can be traced back to almost a century ago.[1] It first developed out of a need for a variety of psychological services in the law enforcement field, including screening applicants and counseling during grief and stress situations. In the time that it has been around, it has proved to be a valuable resource for the law enforcement profession.