Police Officer Essay

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Recommended: Four advantages of police discretion

Police Officers: Peacekeepers?
Force is the most controversial topic regarding policing today. Officers must have professional discretion when on duty; in the moment an officer must decide what level of force is appropriate. But their decisions are influenced by many factors. Some of these factors are departmental operational strategies and policing style.
Force is only physical force used by an officer. “Force, as the term is used within the context of self-defense, means physical force and does not extend to emotional psychological economic, psychic or other forms of coercion.” (Schmalleger, 121) There are two levels of force reasonable force and deadly force. Reasonable force is the appropriate force used during a given situation. Deadly force is the highest degree of force. This level of force can only be used to counter an immediate threat of bodily harm or death. A police officer must use discretion to determine what type of force should be used in each situation.
Police discretion is “the exercise of choice by law enforcement officers in the decision to investigate or apprehend., the disposition of suspects, the carrying out of official duties, and the applications of sanctions.” (Schmalleger, 181) This is very important because the majority of police tasks are done solely by a single police officer and without any close supervision. He or she must make that decision quickly as well. Many factors influence a police officer’s decision to use force. These factors include Personal Practices of the Officer, Pressure of Victims, Community Interest, Background of the Officer, Characteristics of the Subject, Department Policy, Disagreement with the Law, and Available Alternatives. Personal Practices of the Officer are the li...

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...s tools. I believe it is nearly impossible for issues of excessive force to be completely eliminated. But with more training this problem can be alleviated.
In conclusion the different department operational styles and policing styles influence police officers and the decisions they make every day. One of these decisions is the use of force. Operational Styles like the Preventive Patrol and Emergency Response are used to stop crime. Just like the Watchmen Police style. These styles may influence officers to use deadly force to deal with the situation they are put in. The operational styles like Criminal Investigation, Problem Solving, and Routine Incident Response and the Police Styles of Legalistic and Service Style influence officers to be helpers of the community. They are more likely to use reasonable force because stopping crime is not their objective.

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