Use of force and ethics in professional practice

Criminal Justice - Use of Force

Management of USE-of-FORCE ISSUES in POLICE ETHICS

Ethical Issues and Use-of-Force Management in Policing:

Police and other law enforcement officers are authorized to employ physical force in performance of their lawful duties including in executing lawful arrests, protecting members of the public from harm, and preventing serious crime (Schmalleger, 2008).

That use of force ranges from the mere use of a command presence and voice commands all the way up to and including the use of deadly force. Generally, police management and training utilizes a use-of-force continuum (UOFC) that includes five specific levels of force: (1) Non-physical command presence and verbal commands, (2) light hands, such as guiding individuals away from restricted areas, (3) heavy hands, consisting of compliance techniques that produce momentary discomfort or restriction of movement, (4) heavy-handed self-defense techniques consisting of physical strikes and forceful compliance holds, and (5) deadly force (Montgomery, 2005).

In modern American policing, police administrators and policy makers must devote considerable attention to the appropriate level of force in tactical situations, because excessive force can cause physical injury, disfigurement, and even death without justification, resulting in tremendous civil liability on the part of the agency as well as civil rights violations and other criminal charges against the officers involved. Experience has shown that precise policy and specific training are absolutely necessary, because they are the two most important components of administrative efforts to ensure that necessary implementation of force in policing are consistent with legal requirements and civil rights (McCauley, 2005).

Administrative Policy, Procedure, and Police Training:

The single most influential factor in preventing excessive use of force in policing is a clear position established by police administrators clearly defining approved policies and procedures for the use of force. In that regard, use of force policy must emphasize practical definitions and guidelines for escalation to ensure that when officers have no choice but to increase the level of force necessary to achieve an objective, the amount of force used is always the absolute minimum necessary to do so. Specifically, police tactical policy must outline criteria for the use of every tool and every technique authorized for use by officers.