Police Use Of Force

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Use of Force The use of force by law enforcement officers has been a widely debated topic, how much force should an officer use? Is lethal force justified? Even today there is still no universally agreed upon definition for the use of force (“Police use of force,” 2016). The use of force is, for the most part, left to the agency’s discretion and to a greater extent, the individual officers. The reason for this lack of codified rules or regulations regarding this topic is primarily due to the fact that not all situations are the same; the context is by far the most defining factor on the use of force. Time is another key factor for an officer, often times a split second reaction is needed which does not give adequate time to consider the …show more content…
“The unnecessary use of force would be the application of force where there is no justification for its use, while an excessive use of force would be the application of more force than required where use of force is necessary (Use of force, n.d.)”. It is impossible to estimate the amount of justified or excessive force on a national level because there is currently no database that keeps records of officer involved incidents involving excessive force (“Police use of force,” 2016). For the most part however, only a small number of complaints involving excessive force contain enough evidence for the officer to be reprimanded or prosecuted. The media on the other hand describes excessive force as widespread and very common. All it takes is one use of force incident to draw public attention and dramatically reduce a department’s reputation with the community (Use of force, n.d.)”. This is an unfortunate reality that occurs with alarming frequency across the country. Sadly this is quite inevitable, but with technology advancements and better training; perhaps we can reduce incidents of excessive force in the …show more content…
Radios, body armor, clothing, firearms and non-lethal weapons can add up quite quickly. To ensure that officers are adequately equipped to deal with any situation, I have chosen a few specific items that should assist officers in their duties. As far as duty weapons go, the Glock 22-.40S&W is by far one of the most effective of side arms on the market and runs about $549 (Glock 22- .40S&W, n.d.). If an officer’s life is threatened, they need to respond with appropriate force, The Glock 22 gives the officer reliability, accuracy and precision in a compact firearm that holds 15 rounds. In situations where a firearm is not the best answer, the Taser is a viable option. The TASER® X26C Police Stun Gun w/ Laser is a compact CED with a range of 15 feet and is effective through body armor (n.d). These Tasers are priced anywhere from $800 to $1,100 but can be potent non- lethal alternative if properly trained in their use. The last bit of gear that is important is the officer’s body armor. I have chosen AR500s concealment body armor with level IIIA hybrid plates for its ability to be worn under a duty shirt and to counter all manner of small arms (n.d.). Body armor greatly improves survivability of officers and gives them a better sense of security. Furthermore, protective gear such as body armor can reduce possible injury to the officer which could allow them to respond with less-lethal
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