Police Use Of Force

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The Use of Force Erik Camarena California State University, Stanislaus Police Ethics & Civil Liability (001) Shad Canestrino

One of the most important ethical decisions a police officer or correctional officer can make during his or her shift is determining whether to use force or not to use force. Use of force is the amount of force needed to persuade an individual to comply with an officer. Officers are guided by a continuum that influences the amount of force needed for a situation. The guideline divides the use of force into different levels, which can be used to help determine the appropriate amount of use of force for that situation. The different levels are verbal commands, physical restraint, less-lethal force, and lethal force. Each …show more content…
The ethical dilemma regarding the use of force by law enforcement relies on the officer and their choices. Officers are given the responsibility to determine the amount of force needed, which can spring up the problem if the use of force was legitimate or not. Police officers and correctional officers are responsible for determining whether to use force or not to use force. There is not just one type of use of force that can solve all problems, but in reality, there are different levels used to determine the type of use of force acceptable for that situation. The guideline that most law enforcement agencies use is known as the “Use-of-Force Continuum,” which guides police officers or correctional officers on the appropriate use of force needed. The purpose of this guideline is to resolve the situation at hand. The different types of use of force are verbalization, physical restraint, less-lethal methods, and lethal force (NIJ, 2009). Verbalization is a useful tool all officers can use to control a situation. For example, having a calm demeanor can make an individual more compliant compared to shouting commands to get the desired result. Physical restraint is essentially a type of force where the officer uses their physical prowess to gain control
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