The use of force by police officers has been a widely discussed topic over time. Whenever force is used, especially deadly force, it needs to be determined if the force was necessary. There are many cases in history where deadly force was used by police officers in different scenarios. Over the past few years, this has been a major problem in the U.S. and has caused a lot of speculation of the police. Media has also played a big roll in the judgment of deadly force. The media has the ability to influence people’s opinions and make them believe certain things to be true even if they aren’t. There are various charts and guidelines that help determine when use of force is necessary. Most often, use of force depends on the situation and the danger that may be present. Police officers get a lot of heat from the public about using excessive force/deadly force when it is not necessary, however the public may be misinformed in certain cases. It is essential to thoroughly investigate all cases where deadly force is used to ensure that it follows all police guidelines and their handbooks rules of using force. A suspects actions influences the actions police officers …show more content…
may take to ensure safety of all parties involved. Suspect resistance can be the difference in whether force or deadly forced will be used to subdue the suspect. The International Association of Chiefs of Police gave the definition of use of force as “The amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject”(“Police use of Force in America”,2001). Hundreds of men and women are killed by police every year, but it is often hard to determine if lethal force was necessary in every case. In order to determine when deadly force is necessary, there must be a guideline for reasonable force. West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2, lists the definition of reasonable force as “The amount of force necessary to protect oneself or one's property. Reasonable force is a term associated with defending one's person or property from a violent attack, theft, or other type of unlawful aggression”. There are many factors in determining reasonable force such as the danger presented by the suspect, the ability to de-escalate the problem, and time available to make decisions. All of these factors along with many more help determine if reasonable force was used by an officer in a dangerous situation. Ken Wallentine stated that courts use the standard in Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989). In the Graham case, the Court instructed lower courts to always ask three questions to measure the lawfulness of a particular use of force. First, what was the severity of the crime that the officer believed the suspect to have committed or be committing? Second, did the suspect present an immediate threat to the safety of officers or the public? Third, was the suspect actively resisting arrest or attempting to escape? (Ken Wallentine, 2007). Police officers must keep in mind training and policies regarding force when in a situation that may require it. Quick judgment is needed when determining which action is best to take next with a suspect. In many cases, deadly forced must be used by police officers to stop a dangerous suspect. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department developed a policy in 2012 in regard to use of force among police officers. This policy listed 4 elements of deadly force, ability, opportunity, imminent jeopardy, and preclusion. Ability refers to a person being capable of causing harm to another party. Ability can be determined by subjects’ height/weight or their aggression in the situation. The next element of deadly force is opportunity, which looks at whether the subject is in a position to use deadly force. This may refer to the distance a subject is to another person or even to a weapon. Imminent jeopardy determines whether or not the subject poses as an imminent threat to anyone around. If the subject is a threat, officers must take action to prevent injury to them or any other person that may be at risk. The last element of deadly force according to this policy is preclusion. Preclusion takes into account all other alternative actions that were available to de-escalate the situation before turning to lethal force. All of the elements must be considered before deadly force is taken. Often times, officers have very little time to take into account every single element before making a decision on what step to take next. Officers have to be trained to recognize these elements and decide which category a subject falls into before using deadly force. Lethal force is necessary in officers that are facing danger to themselves or to other people. Ed Krayewski wrote “12 Times the Police Used Deadly Force Under Questionable Circumstances in 2014” for Reason.com in 2015.
Krayewski looked at the different cases where deadly forced was used and if it was necessary and justifiable. James Boyd was a homeless camper in New Mexico, he was killed by police on March 16th, 2014. This case drew a lot of attention due to there being video and audio. In the audio recorded earlier that day, one of the officers involved in the incident was heard making an inappropriate remark regarding Boyd and shooting him. This caused questions to fly and people to speculate if deadly force was necessary in this case. This officer later stated that his comment was a joke, although he ended up being suspended and indicted. The officer was allowed to retire in time to collect his
pension. Radley Balko of the Washington Post wrote an article on David Hook. David Hook was killed by a Georgia SWAT team using deadly force on September 24th, 2014. Hooks’ case was different than many involving lethal force due to the fact that he was killed during a no-knock raid on his home. Police were given a search warrant of the Hooks’ property based on a tip involving drugs being in the home, however the team did not identify themselves before breaking into the house. The Hooks’ family stated that he was armed due to them being robbed recently. Officers stated that Hooks’ was holding a shotgun upon entering the home and shots were fired everywhere. It is difficult to determine whether the use of lethal force was necessary in this situation, and sadly a man lost his life that day. In 2016 when discussing deadly force, it is also important to touch on the impact the media plays on this topic. Media can have a positive and negative influence on people. Media outlets have the ability to reach millions of people with their messages. In regards to deadly force, it important to know the policies taught to police officers. Often times, the media portrays police officers as a danger themselves and willing to kill anyone. One must be informed of the concept of force among police officers and not rely on the media to form opinions. It is unfortunate that all police officers get shed a bad light due to the actions of the few. Even if an officer is using deadly force in a situation where it is absolutely necessary, the media can give a portrayal of the exact opposite. Police have the duty to serve and protect the community, however many people see them as causing danger in communities based on what they read or watch on the news. It is important for officers to stay focused on what they have been trained on use of force and ignore the media’s false informing of the public. In conclusion, the use of force among police officers is something that they are thoroughly trained on. It is important to look at all aspects and elements of a dangerous situation before an officer takes action, even if they don’t have much time. It is also important as citizens to be informed of what reasonable force is and of cases in which deadly force is it. Police officers are here to provide safety for citizens and often times it is necessary for them to use force in order to do so.
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.
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.
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.
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
Attention Getter: Are all the officers who are intended to "Protect and Serve" really following through with that?
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.
Crime is a part of society encompases the news and the public. A variety of studies of media content have estimated that as much as 25 percent of the daily news is devoted to crime (Surette 1992) and that crime is the largest major category of stories in the print and electronic media (Chermak 1994, 103). (Lawrence 18). With crime at an all time high, police are constantly having to deal with more and more issues. This can lead to stressed out and fed up officers, which can lead to poor decisions by an officer. The use of force by police is a highly controversial topic as it raises questions about a government’s ability to use force against its citizens (Lawrence 19). Today’s society is caught up on the ideals of civility and equality before the law, making police use of force a touchy
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.
This paper compares and contrasts popular opinions and professional assessment of police brutality and acceptable use of force. This is not only a sensitive subject, but one that proves hard to identify. The main takeaway is that each encounter is different. Within each situation, the details and contributing factors are also different. Police have to serve the public and are entrusted with an inherent amount of power. The line when that use of power becomes abuse of power is not always so easily defined. There are occasions where the evidence shows a clear abuse of power by the police. There are instances where the public opinion views a situation as excessive, however, the police are following acceptable practices and procedures.
The use of lethal force by police is becoming a present day issue that recently seems all too common. Excessive use of force, brutality, racism, and profiling are all terms that serve to describe this horrendous situation. Maybe the police are not all at fault, but it is becoming an ever increasing problem that needs extensive research and proactive solutions.
According to the National Police Academy, in the past year, there have been over 7,000 reports of police misconduct; fatalities have been linked to more than 400 of these cases (Gul). Police brutality is often triggered by disrespect towards the police officer. The most noticeable form of brutality is physical, where Chemical gas, batons, tasers, and guns, can be used for physical intimidation or to actually hurt people. Police brutality can also take the form of verbal abuse or psychological intimidation. It seems reasonable to understand that sometimes the police are put into situations where excessive force may be needed. But, because some officers use these extreme actions in situations when it is not, police brutality should be addressed and looked into by both the police and the public. For instance, a police officer who beats a nonviolent protester with a baton would probably be accused of excessive use of force, under the argument that the police officer probably could have dealt with the situation less violently.
The public’s perception of how necessary police actions are varies. In the book, The Police and the Community (2002) the author discusses the difference between violence and force. When hearing the word force people often think violence, but this is not always the case. Force usually pertains to enforcement of the law; so for example pulling a gun out to show enforcement. Violence is might, and force is having power. Force is pulling out a gun, and the violent part of this scenario would be using the gun to kill someone. Determining whether using deadly physical force is done justifiably has been an ongoing endemic in this country for many decades, and today it is still an unresolved issue. Officers usually make the decision
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.