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| Police and Force |
| "The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him." |
Your decision to use force should always be based on the reasonable
need for force, and your reasoned consideration of the effect on the
person who is the recipient of the force. However, as you begin your
police career, you have more to consider than previous generations of
police officers.
You should always attempt to resolve situations without the use of
force, but you'll soon learn that a lot of people have no appreciation for
your "conflict resolution" skills. If you do become a police officer, get
use to the fact that you will, on occasion, be required to exercise
physical force to make people comply with the laws you're sworn to
enforce.
No matter how much training you receive, you must remember that
everybody else, no matter what their profession; occupation, or life
experience may be, will have a better understanding of your job than
you do. When it comes to a police officer's use of force, the experts will
come out of the woodwork.
Use of force by police officers is, and should be, a serious concern of
citizens in any free society. Today, that concern, or I should
say...interest, has been increased dramatically through media and
litigation.
More than ever before, the "experts" have tremendous support from
the media and lawyers. The media's purpose is news and ratings, and
the lawyers...well, money...what else? Police departments have been
placed in a pretty tight spot. The Top Cops are only top cops because of
their political connections, and the politicians they work for are super
sensitive to bad press. When it comes to money, it's always easier to
settle litigation with other people's money -- in this case the taxpayers'
-- and move on.
Now, you might think that as long as you follow your departmental
guidelines for use of force, you'll be okay. In most instances, you'll be
correct in that assumption. However, many factors, or questions, can
come into play anytime force is used. Some of these questions could
include: Who is the person upon which the force was exerted? Can
your use of force be placed into a politically correct context? Does your
past record regarding frequency of your use of force make you more
vulnerable to exaggeration and embellishment? Of course, there will be
some reasonable standards applied as well. While any use of force
should be viewed solely in relation to reasonable standards, you'll learn
that, when it comes to police officers, reasonable standards are okay as
long as there are not more pressing social or political circumstances
present.
When you use physical force, you'll potentially face two groups of
critics. The first group is comprised of people who have never been in a
fight since grade school...if then. They'll view themselves as
intellectually superior, and they'll boast their educational achievements
as evidence of that superiority. The second group will be comprised of
the less achievement oriented segment of society...sometimes referred
to as criminals. The second group will often display their
underestimated intelligence by their clever and total manipulation of
the first group.
When you use force, your department will have a process to review the
appropriateness of your actions. The level of the force used, and its
outcome will determine the extent of the review. The use of deadly
force will obviously receive the most extensive and rigorous review as it
should.
Whatever level of force you use, you may well be subjected to review by
people who have very little understanding of force and its application.
Today, there are quite a few police officers in supervisory and command
positions who possess very little, if any, personal experience in applying
force. Some, outside of training, have never put handcuffs on a person.
Not to worry. You have the ability to use your brain when it comes to
your decision to use force:
need for force, and your reasoned consideration of the effect on the
person who is the recipient of the force. However, as you begin your
police career, you have more to consider than previous generations of
police officers.
You should always attempt to resolve situations without the use of
force, but you'll soon learn that a lot of people have no appreciation for
your "conflict resolution" skills. If you do become a police officer, get
use to the fact that you will, on occasion, be required to exercise
physical force to make people comply with the laws you're sworn to
enforce.
No matter how much training you receive, you must remember that
everybody else, no matter what their profession; occupation, or life
experience may be, will have a better understanding of your job than
you do. When it comes to a police officer's use of force, the experts will
come out of the woodwork.
Use of force by police officers is, and should be, a serious concern of
citizens in any free society. Today, that concern, or I should
say...interest, has been increased dramatically through media and
litigation.
More than ever before, the "experts" have tremendous support from
the media and lawyers. The media's purpose is news and ratings, and
the lawyers...well, money...what else? Police departments have been
placed in a pretty tight spot. The Top Cops are only top cops because of
their political connections, and the politicians they work for are super
sensitive to bad press. When it comes to money, it's always easier to
settle litigation with other people's money -- in this case the taxpayers'
-- and move on.
Now, you might think that as long as you follow your departmental
guidelines for use of force, you'll be okay. In most instances, you'll be
correct in that assumption. However, many factors, or questions, can
come into play anytime force is used. Some of these questions could
include: Who is the person upon which the force was exerted? Can
your use of force be placed into a politically correct context? Does your
past record regarding frequency of your use of force make you more
vulnerable to exaggeration and embellishment? Of course, there will be
some reasonable standards applied as well. While any use of force
should be viewed solely in relation to reasonable standards, you'll learn
that, when it comes to police officers, reasonable standards are okay as
long as there are not more pressing social or political circumstances
present.
When you use physical force, you'll potentially face two groups of
critics. The first group is comprised of people who have never been in a
fight since grade school...if then. They'll view themselves as
intellectually superior, and they'll boast their educational achievements
as evidence of that superiority. The second group will be comprised of
the less achievement oriented segment of society...sometimes referred
to as criminals. The second group will often display their
underestimated intelligence by their clever and total manipulation of
the first group.
When you use force, your department will have a process to review the
appropriateness of your actions. The level of the force used, and its
outcome will determine the extent of the review. The use of deadly
force will obviously receive the most extensive and rigorous review as it
should.
Whatever level of force you use, you may well be subjected to review by
people who have very little understanding of force and its application.
Today, there are quite a few police officers in supervisory and command
positions who possess very little, if any, personal experience in applying
force. Some, outside of training, have never put handcuffs on a person.
Not to worry. You have the ability to use your brain when it comes to
your decision to use force:
| ...media and litigation |
| Example |
Years ago, when I was a patrol sergeant, one of my officers
received a call for a "mental case" in the middle of the
street attacking passing motorists. The primary officer and
two back-up officers arrived simultaneously, and they
observed a woman, of considerable size, rushing toward
passing cars and pounding her fists on the vehicles.
When the officers approached her, she grabbed one of the
officers by the lapels of his coat, and she literally threw him
across the hood of his radio car. When I arrived seconds
later, I saw the woman surrounded by the three officers.
The officers were not hitting her with sticks or making any
attempt to grab her. Instead, every time she'd lunge at one
of the officers, he'd move and another officer would attract
her attention. It was quite a sight watching the officers
duck and weave as the woman repeatedly tried to grab onto
them.
What was immediately obvious to me, as well as to the
officers, was that she was tiring. Almost as quickly as it
began, the street dance ended when the woman collapsed
onto the pavement. The officers rushed in and quickly
handcuffed her. While it was not obvious the woman was in
any physiological distress, she was immediately transported
to the hospital for an emergency psychiatric evaluation.
Sadly, the woman died on the way to the hospital. The
autopsy would reveal her cause of death to be cocaine
intoxication. Incredibly, the level of cocaine should have
precluded exertion of any physical activity let alone
attacking cars and police officers. According to the
pathologist, her fate was sealed, before she went on her
rampage.
received a call for a "mental case" in the middle of the
street attacking passing motorists. The primary officer and
two back-up officers arrived simultaneously, and they
observed a woman, of considerable size, rushing toward
passing cars and pounding her fists on the vehicles.
When the officers approached her, she grabbed one of the
officers by the lapels of his coat, and she literally threw him
across the hood of his radio car. When I arrived seconds
later, I saw the woman surrounded by the three officers.
The officers were not hitting her with sticks or making any
attempt to grab her. Instead, every time she'd lunge at one
of the officers, he'd move and another officer would attract
her attention. It was quite a sight watching the officers
duck and weave as the woman repeatedly tried to grab onto
them.
What was immediately obvious to me, as well as to the
officers, was that she was tiring. Almost as quickly as it
began, the street dance ended when the woman collapsed
onto the pavement. The officers rushed in and quickly
handcuffed her. While it was not obvious the woman was in
any physiological distress, she was immediately transported
to the hospital for an emergency psychiatric evaluation.
Sadly, the woman died on the way to the hospital. The
autopsy would reveal her cause of death to be cocaine
intoxication. Incredibly, the level of cocaine should have
precluded exertion of any physical activity let alone
attacking cars and police officers. According to the
pathologist, her fate was sealed, before she went on her
rampage.
One can only imagine the criticism and assumptions which would have
been immediately leveled at the officers had they struck or otherwise
applied the force necessary to put that wild woman down. In this
particular case, she was unarmed, contained, and she was no threat to
others or to the officers as long as they kept out of her way. Some men
might think it embarrassing to have a woman chase them in circles in
front of an audience. In this case, one member of the audience was
appreciative of the officers' actions. One of the motorists, who was
attacked, approached me, and he complimented the officers for the
restraint they showed -- especially following the assault on the first
officer.
Today, police officers are being watched closer than ever before. You
should never let this fact prevent you from applying force when
necessary to protect yourself or others; however, you should remain
mindful of the responsibilities you assume when you apply force.
been immediately leveled at the officers had they struck or otherwise
applied the force necessary to put that wild woman down. In this
particular case, she was unarmed, contained, and she was no threat to
others or to the officers as long as they kept out of her way. Some men
might think it embarrassing to have a woman chase them in circles in
front of an audience. In this case, one member of the audience was
appreciative of the officers' actions. One of the motorists, who was
attacked, approached me, and he complimented the officers for the
restraint they showed -- especially following the assault on the first
officer.
Today, police officers are being watched closer than ever before. You
should never let this fact prevent you from applying force when
necessary to protect yourself or others; however, you should remain
mindful of the responsibilities you assume when you apply force.
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| Copyright © 2006 - 2008 - Barry M. Baker - CareerPoliceOfficer.com |
| Disclaimer |
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