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Critical Thinking Assignment: Part 2 Police
There are many instances where excessive force is used to subdue individuals in an
improper way. Excessive force is a form of misconduct that officers engage in when abusing the
powers, they are given. There are various reasons behind these actions that officers may indulge
in such as psychological traits and situational moments. Officers believed to be using excessive
force are likely to lack empathy, impulsivity, hostility, and high levels of PTSD[ CITATION
Pol22 \l 1033 ]. Excessive force puts a strain on the criminal justice system because it instills
distrust in those who encounter it. Trauma or a previous injury can also be a key factor in the
reasoning behind an officer's tendency to use force[ CITATION Pol22 \l 1033 ]. Officers have a
responsibility to protect and treat everyone equally, and the use of force is only advised when
absolutely required. It is said that over 86% of male officers police in ways because of
hypermasculinity, creating a hostile environment based on the need to be in control and not
challenged[ CITATION Pol22 \l 1033 ].
Excessive force not only stems from psychological traits but also from a form of situation
that the officer may encounter. The situations that an officer may experience might influence the
judgments made while using excessive force and hence change the result. It is the nature of the
encounter, as well as organizational and cultural factors that are seen as elements of this
act[ CITATION Pol22 \l 1033 ]. Through proper training and different deterrence factors, these
instances excessive for will occur less.
There is also a culture of fear and belief that every
encounter an officer may experience will end in a violent way, which can in turn create a hostile
situation of excessive force[ CITATION Pol22 \l 1033 ]. Officers have certain characteristics,
such as age, training, biases, and personality traits that can all factor into the way that they
