Escalation Of Force Essay

The Escalation of Force: Specifically Less-Lethal Alternatives

“What gets us killed isn’t the ability to apply lethal force; it’s the reluctance to use it, and the reason we’re reluctant is that we can’t make informed decisions. The rules of engagement that allow us to use lethal force mean that we have to tolerate a lot more abuse and risk. With a non-lethal-weapon option, you don’t have to accept the conditions offered” (Wilkinson, 2008)

Law enforcement officers are one of the most visible arms of government, as they are only members of society legally authorized to take life or inflict serious injury to preserve order and enforce the law and therefore, they are entrusted with substantial authority and discretion (Miller, 2010). This term paper will focus on the escalation of force used by law enforcement officers and the less lethal alternatives currently available to them.

Use of Force

Of the eight to ten million arrests each year, only a few thousand result in a death (Payne, 2012). Encounters with citizens are complex and constantly changing, with the type and magnitude of resistance offered by citizens varying over the life of the encounter (Payne, 2012). As the citizen reacts to the police, police react to the citizen (Payne, 2012) Therfore, the strongest predictor of police force is citizen resistence (Payne, 2012). The legal standard, for excessive force, used today os objective reasonableness or would a reasonble officer believe the force used to be reasonable (Payne, 2012). In general, courts examine the nature of the alleged offense, resistence offered by the suspect, the harm likely to result to the citizen from the force used, alternative means available for resolving the dispute, the degree of control officers have over the suspect, and how many officers are present of the scene (Payne,