Deadly Use Of Force

There is much controversy regarding police work and the use of deadly force, as there are great deals of individuals who feel that officers need to be limited and that this would have a positive effect on the rate of divisive police killings. Police authority to use both psychological and physical force in situations where criminals need to be apprehended is perfectly normal. Furthermore, officers have the right to use deadly force in conditions when individuals targeted pose a direct threat to people around them.

The use of conducted energy weapons in the police force has become increasingly popular since they were introduced only a short while ago. The TASER is claimed to be the safest and most productive type of less lethal force in use today, with a very quick recovery rate and no-long term side effects. The TASER has quickly taken over the harsh use of pepper spray, the brutal force of the baton and in some cases the firearm. However, the TASER has faced massive amounts of bad press and negative views among members of the public. Electro-muscular disruption has become a very controversial issue among society, some describing it as extremely

In our research study we hope to show that the goal to Tasers it to provide law enforcement with alternatives to deadly force in order to minimize harm to both community members and police. We also want to show that no use of devices or techniques may be safe to everyone, but that we can't look just

In light of the recent spate of police-involved homicides of suspects who may or may not have put the lives of the police involved in fear for their safety and well-being, this paper seeks to examine the use of deadly force by police officers in the line of duty. The training involved in using one’s service weapon in situations that call for a determination of the use of force will be explored, as will the rules, regulations, and extenuating circumstances that lead to the firing of a service weapon in the line of duty, resulting in the death of a suspect. The Supreme Court cases that have led to and/or upheld laws allowing a broader interpretation of what is considered justifiable use of deadly force will be briefly examined. Additionally, the use of non-lethal weapons, such as Tasers, by police forces and how the availability of these weapons influences the rate of deadly force will be inspected. Finally, an elucidation of the various perceptions of the general public of the police after use of deadly force is used within their communities will be addressed.

The use of deadly force by police officers is a very important subject in today’s society. Many consider the use of deadly force excessive in most cases. However, there are many aspects to look at when considering this topic, such as: Why was deadly force required? When did the officer feel it necessary to apply deadly force? What will be the implications for the officer after the fact? How does the use of deadly force affect society as a whole?

Invented by NASA researcher, John H. Cover, in the 1960’s and 70’s, the TASER® has been widely adopted by police agencies as a non-lethal alternative to guns. While these devices have aided authorities in subduing suspects, it has also resulted in numerous unnecessary deaths. The general perception of the non-lethality of Tasers along with poor judgement on the part of law enforcement has culminated in the over use and apparent misuse of discharge against suspects when alternate options have existed. The following paper will discuss in detail the creation of Conducted Energy Weapons (CEW) and the TASER®; negative medical implications of Tasers and their current use by police enforcement groups; the laws which govern the use of

There has been two shooting of deadly force as I know of in our local department. I live in the city of Humboldt tn.There has been two incident after 2008. A person would not think it would have happen in such a small town, but it has been (Police officers charged in fatal shootings while on duty, 2016).

Police brutality is a topic that everybody confers to emphasize the burgeoning fear of the police. This comes in the form of excessive force which becomes a controversial topic for citizens and police alike. The nation has it’s own definition of what excessive force may be, as some believe using a Taser has the same intention as using a nightstick to apprehend scoundrels. Others may ascribe excessive force as a race crime; “In March 2015, the DOJ also issued a report detailing a pattern of clear racial disparities and discriminatory intent on the part of the Ferguson, Mo., police department”(Excessive or Reasonable Force by Police) resulting in uneasiness between the multiple groups regardless of their age; interestingly officers are also affected by the disparity of the community. The judgement they receive can actually affect how an officer decides to act because they

The intervention being evaluated is the TASER. Police agencies have increasingly relied on the TASER to incapacitate combative or violent suspects who may be resistant to lesser degrees of force. Despite their adoption by more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, there is little empirical research examining the use of these stun guns by police officers. Like many other innovations in policing, researchers have failed to keep pace with the diffusion of this rapidly spreading technology (p. 170). Advocates of the TASER contend that this technology has saved lives in situations where other less lethal methods are ineffective and lethal force may be justified and that their continued use is warranted (p. 171).

Officers endure about six months of training in the academy. After the academy they continue to train yearly. Although they train yearly many do not have the training in dealing with people that have mental health problems. Not being trained properly in the mental health can lead to the misuse of the officer’s weapons. Officers know who not to tase but sometimes have mishaps and tase people who are pregnant. If needed officers tase people who are on drugs but people who are on drugs have a much higher chance of death. The misuse of tasers by law enforcement can cause serious injury. Officers need to be aware of who they tase and how much force they use.

This use of force matrix utilizes a graded approach whereas an officer will use only the force necessary to exercise and arrest. Law enforcement officers may use that amount of force necessary to effect the lawful purpose intended, provided that no reasonably effective alternative to the use of force appears to exist at the time the force is used. The privilege to use force is not limited to the amount of force necessary to protect themselves or others, but extends to that amount reasonably necessary to enable officers to effect the arrest or otherwise neutralize the resistance of a subject. If a suspect refuses to be arrested the officer will have to utilize a higher level of force dependent upon the suspects actions. For example, if a suspect is resisting arrest, the officer may use a taser or other force methods to arrest the individual. An officer cannot simple resort to higher levels of force without proper justification. Officers must utilize only the force which is necessary and justified. There are times when an armed suspect may prompt an officer to use the highest level of force, deadly force, if he feels him or another person’s life is in jeopardy. The result of not going utilizing his weapon on this use of force scenario could mean death to the officer or the public.

According to Use of Tasers by Law Enforcement agencies, the intention of the Taser program is to encourage deviation from killing a violent offender to simply immobilizing a violent offender until all parties are safe and that specific area has been secured. The decision to use such force is left to the discretion of the officer to dictate the intent of the individual in question and to determine what the meaning of safety is at that particular time. This cultural change can be achieved through education of all of the previously mentioned: the weapon itself, the effects the weapon can have on a human body and discretion.

One of the most persistently recorded and examined conduct in policing is the utilization of force. Law enforcement specialists have acknowledged a chasm persists in the variety of weaponry accessible to officers. In some situations, guns could be too strong of a response, where some situations may need more than soft or hard hand techniques. Due to this perilous chasm, there have been significant advancements in the defense/restraint alternatives available to law enforcement officers (LEO). These defense/restraint alternatives are items such as oleoresin capsicum (OC or pepper) spray, conductive energy devices (CEDs or Tasers), expandable batons, and trained police canines. These alternatives have been credited by some to have reduced police shootings, use of force incidents, injuries to LEOs and civilians/suspects in events including use of force, as well as excessive use of force incidents.

This proves that taser is an effective non-lethal weapon that can be used to subdue the criminals. Here are some possible advantages of taser guns, first, taser is a non-lethal weapon. As we may have already know, tasers are meant to take down the suspects without injuring or killing them. Also, it is safer to use in a situations where there are many bystanders in the scene, since tasers do not harm people around the intended suspects. This also leads to the second point of avoiding the usage of lethal weapons. So far, 1689 people have been killed by the police in a crime related actions (May, T. 2014). By promoting the usage of tasers, police officers around the world can lower the number of suspects being killed in the scene. Using the lethal weapon also dangers the suspects, police, and the bystanders, because firearms are a lethal weapon that can take away lives easily. Tasers also requires minimal training to use the functions, which also makes the officers and other security related people to easily use tasers in action. On the other hand, typical fire arms requires more training time to properly use them in order to avoid any accidents with it. Fourthly, by using taser, the injury rates dropped significantly. Taser have been used within law enforcement agencies from 1998, and from that time, according to the Taser International, taser helped lower injuries among officers and

Allegations of police brutality by the U.S. police departments have been on the rise for the past two decades. The use of excessive force by police officers beyond what is considered necessary is not a new fact to the world. Many of these encounters with civilians have been unjustified because the majority ultimately ends in death. The police involve the use of weapons such as batons, Tasers, pepper spray, or guns. This may also include false arrests, psychological trauma, and verbal abuse. Some individuals will state they are just doing their job, but others argue these cases can be traced back to poor training and policies. Every police officer has the right to protect himself and the community, but they should be able to discern when to use reasonable or excessive force on the civilian depending on the situation at hand.