Police Use Of Force: A Case Study

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Law enforcement officials have to use force in certain situations when deemed necessary. When an officer deploys any sort of force he or she is attempting to regain control of the situation. Under the Criminal Code of Canada officers are mandated to use force when carrying out their duties. Recently, there have been many inquires in relation to the use of force by the public and media. Officer judgment is a crucial factor when law enforcement official chooses to use any type of force. Officers are thoroughly trained in the useage of force; but there are still instances in which an officer may deploy an excessive amount of force. A career in law enforcement is a rewarding one, yet it can also be extremely mentally and physically …show more content…

38 ). Section 25, part one in the CCC addresses how law enforcement officer are mandated and entitled to enforce the law, doing so they have to act justifiably and responsibly (Martins, 2016, p. 38). Section 25, part three in the CCC outlines how officers are to deadly or lethal force; this type of force is only mandated in situations where the law enforcement officer believes lethal force is necessary in order to safeguard one self or an other individual (Martins, 2016, p. 38-39). In conclusion, enforcement officials are mandated to use force in certain situations to regain control. What society fails to see is that officers can also be brought before the courts if they did not act on reasonable grounds and use “excessive force” (Martins, 2016, p. 43). Section 25 part four states, subsection E specifically states that an officer is allowed to use deadly force if, “the flight cannot be prevented by reasonable means in a less violent manner” (Martins, 2016, p. 39). An officer’s judgment plays a crucial role in these particular situations. A question that can be raised when you look at this subsection is the meaning of “reasonable”. What may seem “reasonable” to one officer may not be “reasonable” to another. Once an officer gains more experience on the streets he will have better judgment in situations (J. Woodchuck, personal communication, December 18, 2014). Can this also result in a decrease in values and ethics, as the officer may have knowledge about how much force he can use until his superiors start asking