Introductory Criminal Justice: Police - Use of Force (Continuum, Deadly Force – Tennessee v. Garner (1985), Graham v. Connor (1989) – Objective Reasonableness Standard, Less?Lethal Options, Duty to Intervene)

Police Use of Force (Continuum, Deadly Force – Tennessee v. Garner (1985), Graham v. Connor (1989) – Objective Reasonableness Standard, Less?Lethal Options, Duty to Intervene)

Police Use of Force

What This Is

Police use of force refers to the intentional application of physical force or coercion by law enforcement officers to achieve a specific goal, such as subduing a suspect, preventing harm to others, or maintaining order. The concept is crucial in the criminal justice system as it balances the need for officer safety with the protection of individual rights.

Key Definitions / Models / Steps

• Continuum of Force: A model used by law enforcement to describe the escalating levels of force that may be used in response to a situation, from verbal commands to deadly force. (e.g., verbal commands, empty-hand techniques, less-lethal options, and deadly force)
• Objective Reasonableness Standard: A legal standard used to evaluate the reasonableness of an officer's use of force, considering the totality of the circumstances, including the suspect's actions and the officer's training and experience. (Graham v. Connor, 1989)
• Deadly Force: The use of force that is likely to cause death or serious bodily harm, such as shooting a firearm. (Tennessee v. Garner, 1985)
• Tennessee v. Garner (1985): A landmark Supreme Court case that established the rule that deadly force may only be used when a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others. (Core holding: Deadly force is only justified when a suspect poses a significant threat.)
• Graham v. Connor (1989): A landmark Supreme Court case that established the objective reasonableness standard for evaluating police use of force, considering the totality of the circumstances. (Core holding: The reasonableness of an officer's use of force is evaluated based on the totality of the circumstances.)
• Less-Lethal Options: Non-deadly force alternatives, such as pepper spray, batons, or Tasers, used to subdue a suspect without causing serious harm. (e.g., pepper spray, batons, Tasers)
• Duty to Intervene: The obligation of law enforcement officers to intervene when they witness another officer using excessive force. (e.g., the duty to intervene in a situation where an officer is using excessive force)
• Use of Force Continuum Model: A model used by law enforcement to describe the escalating levels of force that may be used in response to a situation, from verbal commands to deadly force. (e.g., verbal commands, empty-hand techniques, less-lethal options, and deadly force)
• Reasonableness Standard: A legal standard used to evaluate the reasonableness of an officer's use of force, considering the totality of the circumstances, including the suspect's actions and the officer's training and experience. (e.g., the reasonableness standard in Graham v. Connor)
• Excessive Force: The use of force that is unreasonable or unnecessary, violating an individual's constitutional rights. (e.g., the use of excessive force in a situation where a suspect is already subdued)

Practical Application

In a realistic scenario, a police officer is responding to a call about a suspect who is armed and threatening to harm others. The officer arrives on the scene and observes the suspect, who is holding a knife and refusing to comply with verbal commands. The officer must decide whether to use deadly force or less-lethal options to subdue the suspect. In this situation, the officer would consider the totality of the circumstances, including the suspect's actions and the officer's training and experience, to determine whether the use of deadly force is objectively reasonable. If the officer decides to use deadly force, they must ensure that it is necessary to protect themselves or others from harm.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Police use of force is only justified when a suspect is armed.
• Correction: Police use of force may be justified in situations where a suspect poses a significant threat of harm, regardless of whether they are armed.
• Misunderstanding: The objective reasonableness standard only considers the officer's training and experience.
• Correction: The objective reasonableness standard considers the totality of the circumstances, including the suspect's actions and the officer's training and experience.
• Misunderstanding: Deadly force is only justified when a suspect is actively resisting arrest.
• Correction: Deadly force may be justified in situations where a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others.
• Misunderstanding: The duty to intervene only applies in situations where an officer is using excessive force.
• Correction: The duty to intervene applies in situations where an officer is using force that is objectively unreasonable or unnecessary.

Exam Tips

• High-yield item: The objective reasonableness standard is used to evaluate the reasonableness of an officer's use of force, considering the totality of the circumstances.
• High-yield item: Deadly force is only justified when a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others.
• Key Supreme Court ruling: Tennessee v. Garner (1985) established the rule that deadly force may only be used when a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm.
• Key Supreme Court ruling: Graham v. Connor (1989) established the objective reasonableness standard for evaluating police use of force.
• Measurement difference: The use of force continuum model is used to describe the escalating levels of force that may be used in response to a situation, from verbal commands to deadly force.

Quick Recap

• Police use of force refers to the intentional application of physical force or coercion by law enforcement officers.
• The continuum of force model describes the escalating levels of force that may be used in response to a situation.
• The objective reasonableness standard is used to evaluate the reasonableness of an officer's use of force.
• Deadly force is only justified when a suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others.
• The duty to intervene applies in situations where an officer is using force that is objectively unreasonable or unnecessary.
• The use of force continuum model is used to describe the escalating levels of force that may be used in response to a situation.
• Excessive force is the use of force that is unreasonable or unnecessary, violating an individual's constitutional rights.
• The reasonableness standard is used to evaluate the reasonableness of an officer's use of force.
• The use of less-lethal options is a non-deadly force alternative used to subdue a suspect without causing serious harm.
• The duty to intervene is the obligation of law enforcement officers to intervene when they witness another officer using excessive force.