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Why Do Police Use Excessive Force?

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For many years, it has been difficult in identifying the proper meaning of the use of force or the proper use of force, regarding on police officers. Use of force by police officers is acceptable under specific circumstances, such as self-defense and of another individual or group when necessary. There are officers caught abusing their power by using excessive force in the wrong situations. Many people can view police officers as using excessive force in a way to complete their job, but others can view them as using excessive force inappropriately in cases like racial profiling. Police officers use the amount of force necessary to ease the situation, arrest an individual, or protect themselves and others from harm. A certain amount of people understand that excessive force is required in different situations. There are moments when police officers will be obligated to use excessive force to calm the situation. For example; Rahtz said, “Then you have others who understand that in some situations, force is not only necessary but is required, if serious, injury or death is avoided” (Rahtz, 2007). Force can be necessary and understood …show more content…

Some officers could use racial profiling to detain a suspect. For example; On April 4, 2015, a White officer, Michael Slager, stopped a 50-year-old Black man, Walter Scott, because he had a broken brake light. Scott ran and Slager fired his gun at Scott hitting him in the back five times. Michael Slager, who had been fired, was also trial for murder and pleaded guilty (Department of Justice [DOJ]), 2016. That case, no threat or danger against the police officer were made. The police officer could have solved the situation in a hasty manner. Using deadly force is obligated on occasions such as self-defense or protecting other individuals from danger. Police officers have to make quick decisions, but they should know if it's correct or

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528 Words | 3 Pages

One common opinion is that officers should not use more force than is necessary or reasonable, and even then, that force should be used only as a last resort. “Police use force to affect civilians’ conduct. On a day-to-day basis, they do so most often by employing the least degree of force available to them, their mere presence. Cops wear uniforms and drive distinctly marked cars so that, without saying a word, they may have an effect on citizens’ behavior” (Fyfe, 38). When an officer’s presence fails to fulfill the desired conduct, the next course of action for said officer would be verbalization.

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642 Words | 3 Pages

Police work is unpredictable and is very dangerous. In some situations, officers may have to utilize use-of-force tactics in order to gain control of a certain situation. This essay will focus on the discussion of polices discretion to use force limited to a suspect who is being “uncooperative” and what mitigating factors may escalate or de-escalate force response by an officer. Written guidelines have the effect to limit the amount of discretion that an officer might use during stressful and dangerous situations in which they find themselves.

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1121 Words | 5 Pages

Police officers have vowed their life to protect and serve. They risk their lives every day for their communities. As the last few years have sped past us, police officers have been very aggressive with the force they use when arresting a suspect, or even people in general. According to a Texas article on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, “police officers typically use force offensively rather than defensively and do so with at least some degree of premeditation.” (Gross,2013, page 167).

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1345 Words | 6 Pages

The policy’s main strength is that it is a very effective way to deter crime. Criminals avoid committing crimes since they are aware that the police will stop at nothing to ensure that public safety has been protected and criminals apprehended. Another strength of the use of force policy is that it enables officers to be armed and use force thereby allowing the police officers to protect themselves from the many dangers and risks that they encounter in the process of carrying out their daily duties. Furthermore, the policy also helps to enhance the feelings of safety among members of the public since they are rest assured that the law enforcement officials are properly armed and can take any forceful actions to counter criminal activities when it is

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1829 Words | 8 Pages

The use of lethal force by police is subject to societal, strategic and tactical considerations that inform choices in the field. While many factors are the same for all force options, the tactical purpose in the use of lethal force is distinct. A key question is not whether a killing was justified but if it was avoidable. In deciding to use lethal force, expectations that police are able to make nuanced choices are questionable.

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1517 Words | 7 Pages

This essay will focus on the racial profiling of Mexican-Americans in the Los Angeles community. The parts of Los Angeles I will be focusing in are South Central, Compton, Watts and East LA. Racial profiling consists of the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense. The main suspects that racially profile Mexican-Americans are law enforcement authorities. Racial profiling is a repressive social practice that uses group characteristics to individualize stereotypic behavior for minorities in American society.

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1006 Words | 5 Pages

Use of force is the amount of force used in a given situation during police work. The police are supposed to follow the continuum when it come to using force. This continuum is known as the “Use of Force Continuum”. Despite this, use of force is still a constant problem in policing. There are many cases where a cop are sued for using more force than necessary, sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident.

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1763 Words | 8 Pages

They are trained to act quickly and efficiently in deadly situations. “Police sometimes do need to react quickly in potentially dangerous situations, such as when they reasonably believe the suspect might be armed” (DiLascio). While in the cases of both King and Rice, police acted quickly and violently. The officers in both cases waited to ask any questions, but many believe that is what they were supposed to do. Defuse the situation then ask questions later.

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583 Words | 3 Pages

Cops should use their full force to protect themselves and us. Cops have the right to use their full force to do what's right. By La Palma Avenue and Lemon Street Anaheim, California an official of the city of Anaheim was lifting a violation of a driver that passed a red light and at that time a young man in his car yelled a bad word at the cop which decided to ignore him and continued writing the ticket without realizing that the person who had insulted the cop got out of his car with a knife in his hand and was about to insert it in the back of the cop’s, but a female cop was driving by saw what the young man was about to do, and forced to shoot the young man which the female cop did and killed the young man. Saving the other cop's life. Cops may hurt and even kill people with their full force but they can help and even save people’s lives with their full force.

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704 Words | 3 Pages

If the law enforcement were to reduce the amount of force the officers are allowed to use, crime would simply be even more out of control. I say because if the officer can 't get control the suspect will easily take advantage of the officer. The current amount of force an officer can use is efficient, for the this reason the police officers have to right to protect themselves along with the community. The law allows police officers to use deadly force if

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892 Words | 4 Pages

Law enforcement agents are should behave to a standard that is greater than the average civilian. Police brutality comes from an abuse of power granted to the police. Police brutality is often drawn on by overreaction in certain situations drawn on by panic. Police using excessive force in the United States is a crucial dilemma and must be stopped.

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760 Words | 4 Pages

In some cases, police officers exert excessive force on individuals. The amount of force should be necessary for the situation. For example, a police officer should not use a weapon because a civilian will not obey an initial command. In the article, When Does Force Become Excessive?,

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1683 Words | 7 Pages

For decades now, the controversy over deadly force has continued to show up in the news when police officers have acted in a manner that some citizens find just while others deem completely unfair. Many lawsuits stemming from shootings and crimes have found their way to local courts or the Supreme Court to deal with this issue. A portion of the U.S. population finds deadly force unnecessary when non-lethal weapons such as pepper spray or batons just as easily subdue the criminal. In addition, these citizens argue that officers might be liable for cases filed against them if they use excess force on people that seem suspicious but have not actually committed a crime. On the other hand, the opposing argument in favor of deadly force states that

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694 Words | 3 Pages

The public has a misconception that deadly force is the same thing as excessive force. They can be similar if the police use deadly force to a point where every officer discharges their entire magazine on person when the threat has been eliminated. Officers receive hours of training on how to shoot a gun, but sometime receive little instruction on how to determine when to use the gun. Training starts in the Police Academy, and continues throughout their careers. There are officers who teach and train the departments every month.

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921 Words | 4 Pages

The police can use coercive force to control a situation, but they are limit to how much force they can use. When it comes to injuries to officers and civilians during use of force, civilians injuries happens 17 to 64 percent of encounter and officers injuries ranged from 10 to 20 percent of encounter. Most injuries are minimal, like minor bruises and abrasions. To reduce the civilian and officer injuries, the use of pepper spray and conduct energy devices (like a tasers) is required. With the use of force, an officer is allow to use it when protect themselves and others around them, or to preserve evidence, prevent escape, and take someone into custody.

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