Question

In what kinds of situations are police officers most likely to use force? When has too much force been used?(class:criminal justice)

Answer 1

Particular situations, like self-defence or defence of another individual or group, requires the use of force by the police officers. According to The International Association of Chiefs of Police, use of force has been defined as the "amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject".

When a situation is perceived to be potentially threatening by a police officer, he or she will consider it necessary to use force. It is important to note that officers are trained to comprehend when a situation turns into a crisis. Accordingly, the officers use force to control a situation and restore peace and safety. Time is an essential factor in determining when an officer desires to use force. If the subject is willing to comply, the officer may not use force. But if sufficient time has been allocated to the subject to comply, but he or she is not ready for submission, the police officer may consider it to be the right time to use force. The amount of force used by an officer depends on the situation. Force should only be used to the extent an officer can lighten an incident, make an arrest or protect the community from harm. Unnecessary or too much usage of force is undesirable. Too much force (like the use of non-lethal chemical and electronic or impact weapons or deadly force, which results in permanent injury or death of the subject) can be used in situations when the subject is unwilling to comply. It is used when a subject is causing grave damage to life and private and public properties.