Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Deadly Force

Deadly force is when an officer uses a firearm that could lead to the death of a non-police personnel (Mays & Taggart, 1985). Sergeant Sherwood explains that officers don’t respond with equal force. They have to respond with a reasonable level of force based on the circumstances to bring a rational solution to the situation, to neutralize the situation. He also explains that cops shoot to stop the threat by hitting the easiest target, which is center mass (Personal Interview, Sherwood, Training Sergeant, 4/2/2015). According to the Supreme Court and also stated in Meriden Police Department’s Policy (2014), after the Graham v. Connor case in 1989, the use of force to make an arrest should be objectively reasonable depending on the situation …show more content…
The use of deadly force also comes from the Tennessee v. Garner case in 1985 when the Supreme Court explained that an officer cannot shoot a feeling civilian unless the officer suspects the person of being a threat to themselves or the public (Perkins & Bourgeois, 2006). The state of Connecticut defines the use of deadly force as “any physical force that creates a substantial risk of causing death or serious physical injury (CGS ξ 53a-3(5)). When officers use coercive force, it controls a wide range of social situations the public may face (Bittner, 1970). When the use of deadly force isn’t being used because a situation isn’t as threatening, officers will then use verbal communication and non-violent acts of force to control the situation (Bittner, 1970). Police use of force is a very vague definition because it predominately depends on the officers discretion when they are at the scene. “With some unknown frequency and severity, law enforcement officers use various forms of verbal and physical coercion in performing their everyday functions of enforcing the law and maintaining order. How and when the police use and do not use physical force influence the immediate accomplishment of police functions”(Garner, Maxwell, & Heraux, 2002:

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