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A Critical Examination of Law Enforcement Use of Force Policies

Brandi D. Wright

Graduate School of Public Administration

National Louis University

PPA 500-0: Foundations of Public Administration

Module 2: Project Stage 2

Dr. Darryl Stroud

October 24, 2023

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Literature Review

No single definition has been settled upon on the term "use of force"; however, there is a

universal understanding of police force. It is termed the level of strength needed by police

officers to ensure unwilling suspects comply (Escobar & White, 2021). Force can be resorted to

ensure an incident is controlled or event for officers to protect themselves. There are many

instances where force may be necessary. In recent years, there has been a rise in the attention

given to police behavior. This was mainly prompted by increased death rates of minority

members of society, especially between 2014 and 2015 (Hickman et al., 2020). The prominent

role of the police is to ensure that there is order and that laws are followed while respecting

people's rights. (Hickman et al., 2020) noted that this can only be attained through coercive

authority that enables law enforcement officers to achieve democratic goals. Despite the police

having to use force occasionally, they must depend on their training and good judgment.

There are side effects to police using force. For example, the injuries incurred during

altercations must be treated (Hickman et al., 2020). This results in additional costs. Additionally,

it leads to the public losing trust in the police service. This has a long-lasting effect on shaping

how people relate to law enforcement. Due to the high use of force over the past years, the police

service has been put under high government and public scrutiny. The police force, therefore, has

a responsibility to ensure that the public understands how the use of force policy should be

utilized and when necessary. Stoughton et al. (2021) highlighted that there is a need for police

officers to regulate the frequency with which they resort to the use of force. There are training

programs where police officers learn how to respond to situations for people with mental health

issues. The incorporation of this kind of training in police training schools shows the actions that
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are actively being taken to reduce the chances of police resorting to the use of force when

dealing with the public.

In some instances, it may be necessary for the police to use force so they can arrest

people, depending on the circumstances. Mourtgos and Adams (2019) noted that a gap exists

between the standards that police officers perform their duties within and the public expectations

of the use of force by the police. This gap has to be looked at and addressed adequately to ensure

that whatever the public gets is the appropriate standard. However, It is essential to note that

deadly force is not often used (Stoughton et al., 2021). (Stoughton et al., 2021) further noted that

roughly four percent of thirteen million arrests have been carried out using more force than is

required to put a suspect in handcuffs.

Additionally, when officers use force, most incidents involve minimal injury. Much of the

research has mainly analyzed the relation of the use of force concerning gender and race. The

public continues to demand information; however, this has brought about tremendous

misinformation and easy access to information through social media (Kinsey, 2019).

Over the past years, the police profession has changed tremendously. The use of force by

police has brought about much social conflict in recent years. Mourtgos and Adams (2019) stated

that violence goes against what civilians expect. It goes against liberty, freedom, autonomy, and

security. This is true because by using force, citizens are subjected to do what is expected of

them by the police. Using force, police and law enforcement instill fear in people, making them

cooperate with all their wishes.

Additionally, they have firearms, ensuring no one is willing to cross them and meet all

their demands. Mourtgos and Adams (2019) further highlighted a tension between the

government infringing on people’s freedoms and the need for people to feel protected from abuse
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by the government in the aspect of policing. The research highlighted that police officers often

use occupational discretion when using force.

Therefore,

Law enforcement officers should use the necessary amount of force to intervene in

situations, make arrests, and protect themselves from any impending harm. It is only permitted

under particular situations (Amy, 2017). The force used generally depends on the particular

situation as they vary. The main aim of an officer is to regain control in any situation while

ensuring they can protect the community. The National Institute of Justice (2020) highlighted

that force should only be used as a last resort. Police departments must ensure adequate training

for their teams so they are never caught off guard. Instead, they should adequately ensure they

provide proper education, research, and training that help regain society's trust. Cowell et al.

(2021) stated that through training, the police force will set a particular standard that will be

followed as accepted by civilians. With the incorporation of media, it becomes easier to spread

the word.

The use of force by the police is strongly linked to the suspects demographic. However,

Klahm & Tillyer (2010) noted that every officer has their characteristics and uniqueness, and

they exhibit it in every encounter. Research shows that race/ethnicity is not linked to the

likelihood or need of a police officer using force. Research, however, does not show any

relationship between an officer's race and the use of force. However, several studies have shown

the link between black and white officers and how they use force (Klahm & Tillyer, 2010).

Further, the author highlighted that a few characteristics are influential in figuring out the

amount of force to be used by the police officer. For instance, men, especially those intoxicated,
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shown resistance are likely to deal with the police force. There is a lack of adequate research on

perceptions of heavy use of force and no evidence or data concerning officer training techniques.

It is essential to note that using force is essential in shaping public attitudes towards the

government and policing. It remains a controversial topic as it has pros and cons to the public

and the police force as well. When the public distrusts the system, there can be an issue between

officers and society. It will likely bring about hostility and a general negative attitude towards the

police department. Therefore, the police department is responsible for ensuring that they acquire

the public's trust. Research indicates that without proper supervision, police officers are likely to

abuse their power (Alpert & Dunham, 2009). These factors make it hard to understand the police

department as they will never fully express themselves, and how they usually carry out their

duties with minimal supervision.

Understanding the use and nature of the use of force by the police is essential for several

reasons. Research has also shown that the use of force varies for different races, gender, and

other factors that make different people be treated differently. From the different studies that

have been carried out, it is clear that police officers use force to deal with situations that need

rapid decisions that help ensure that society is kept safe. However, different police officers

behave differently depending on the situations they find themselves in. The gap in the use of

force policy is ensuring that police law enforcement has a standard to meet and what the public

should expect from them.

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References

Alpert, G. P., & Dunham, R. G. (2009). Police use of force: The History of Research (Chapter 1)

- understanding police use of force. Cambridge Core.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/understanding-police-use-of-force/police-use-

of-force-the-history-of-research/A5FEDAFEEB0EBBF878A7234E97A58D58

Amy, K. (2017). Understanding Police Use of Force Encounters in Context: What Encounters

Look Like, Circumstances when Officers Get Injured, and the Decision Factors and

Processes Involved. Griffith University.

https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/365577/

Hine_2017_01Thesis.pdf?sequence=1

Cowell, M., Corsi, C., Johnson, T., & Brinkley-Rubinstein, L. (2020). The factors that motivate

law enforcement’s use of force: A systematic review. American journal of community

psychology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32885851/

Escobar, N., & White, G. (2021). USE OF POLICE FORCE: A FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE

GOOD GOVERNANCE OVER THE USE OF FORCE. ResearchGate.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356105101_USE_OF_POLICE_FORCE_A_F

RAMEWORK_TO_ENSURE_GOOD_GOVERNANCE_OVER_THE_USE_OF_FORC

Hickman, M. J., Strote, J. N., Scales, R. M., & Parkin, W. (2020). Police use of force and injury:

Multilevel predictors of physical harm to subjects and officers. ResearchGate.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1098611120972961
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Kinsey, K. L. (2019). Use of Force and Perceptions of Public Attitude Held by Police Trainers.

Walden University. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=8190&context=dissertations

Klahm, C., & Tillyer, R. (2010). (PDF) Understanding police use of force: A review of the

evidence. ResearchGate.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256255286_Understanding_police_use_of_forc

e_A_review_of_the_evidence

Mourtgos, S., & Adams, I. T. (2019). Assessing Public Perceptions of Police Use-of-Force.

ResearchGate.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327513011_Assessing_Public_Perceptions_of_

Police_Use-of-Force

National Institute of Justice. (2020). Overview of police use of force.

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/overview-police-use-force

Stoughton, S. W., Noble, J. J., & Alpert, G. (2021, February 23). Evaluating police uses of force:

Table of contents & introduction. SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?

abstract_id=3572347