Palmiotto - Police use of force: important issues facing the police and the communities they serve

Police Use of Force

Important Issues Facing the Police and the Communities They Serve

Police Use of Force

Important Issues Facing the Police and the Communities They Serve

Edited by

Michael J. Palmiotto

Wichita State University
School of Community Affairs
Wichita, Kansas, USA

CRC Press

Taylor & Francis Group

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Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742

2017 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

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Version Date: 20160322

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4987-3214-7 (Hardback)

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Palmiotto, Michael, editor.

Title: Police use of force: important issues facing the police and the communities they serve / Michael J. Palmiotto, editor.

Other titles: Police use of force (CRC Press)

Description: Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016006347 | ISBN 9781498732147

Subjects: LCSH: Police brutality--United States. | Police shootings--United States. | Police-community relations--United States. | Police misconduct--United States.

Classification: LCC HV8141 .P59353 2017 | DDC 363.2/32--dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016006347

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For my wife, Emily, for her unstinting love and support.

CONTENTS

Michael J. Palmiotto

Michael J. Palmiotto

Michael J. Palmiotto

Szde Yu

Laurence Armand French

Michael L. Birzer

Alison Brown

Jodie Beeson

Carolyn Speer Schmidt

Vladimir A. Sergevnin and Darrell L. Ross

Michael J. Palmiotto

This book on the Use of Force fills a void in a major issue facing American society. The use of force takes into consideration the social, criminal, and human rights issues important to a democratic country, such as the United States. The important aspect in dealing with the use of force is that it pits the police against the people they are sworn to protect and serve. It may not be the intent of either the police or the public they deal with to have a confrontation which could lead to deadly force being used.

Deadly force often has been used when an offender or citizen refuses to cooperate with a police request or refuses to listen to an order to perform a specific action. Sometimes, when the citizen refuses to cooperate, the officer, who has the authority to force the issue, may do so, which can lead to serious injury or death. This of course can escalate to demonstrations or riots.

In the early twenty-first century the use of force, especially deadly force, by the police has become a volatile issue that may cost police officers their lives or livelihood. There are activists and organizations that contend that the police are wrong when they use force, especially deadly force. It is generally held at the time of this writing that most police officers consider that they will be considered guilty until proven innocent when using force against a citizen. Along these same lines police officers hold the premise that they will not be supported and that people will do the politically correct thing to maintain the support of politicians and activists. Of course there are those that consider police actions generally wrong and abusive anytime the police resort to the use of force.

Police Use of Force provides a broader perspective than current books on the issue. Books in print include officer involved shooting, self-defense and the use of force, in the kill zone, a cop view of deadly force. A 1992 book published by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) on What WE Know about Deadly Force and several general books on the use of force all discuss the preceding issues.

The 10 chapters of this book are contributed by authorities in specific areas of the use of force. The contributors consist of those having law enforcement, academic, and research experience. They include technology experts, community psychologists, political scientists, legal scholars, training experts, and criminal justice personnel. With the use of force issue not going away anytime soon, this book should provide a good foundation for understanding the concern.

by Professor Michael Palmiotto provides a review of social control, crime control, and the use of force from ancient times to modern day. After a look at kin police, ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian police are briefly examined. Policing in Europe and England is covered. The development of modern policing is discussed. Throughout history the use of force has been used in all societies and cultures and is primarily documented or integrated into the history of a specific society.

on the Use of Force defines brutality and the use of force by the police. There are numerous definitions on what the use of force is when conducted by the police. This chapter addresses the issue when force is necessary and reasonable as used by the police. Also, covered in this chapter is the improper use of force which falls into two categories: unnecessary and excessive. The emerging use of force issues are covered, the use of force continuum is discussed, and examples of excessive use of force by the police are provided, including the Abner Louima case and the Rodney King case, which received national attention.

on deadly force defines the term and reviews when deadly force may be acceptable. The chapter explains when the police have the authority to use force and when it is not appropriate. For example, police can never use deadly force against someone committing a minor offense. Deadly force can be traced back to the middle ages when felony crimes were punishable by death. If an agent of the state killed someone committing a felony, the agent was considered to be doing the state a favor because the felony was punishable by death anyway. By comparison, in contemporary society, the only felony that can be punishable by death is first degree murder. In the United States, the use of deadly force by government officers can be traced back to colonial times and the Civil War. Most states have laws defining deadly force. When police officers use deadly force against a suspect or offender it usually involves firearms. However, neck holds by the police can also lead to death. The danger they create are discussed and an example is provided. The issue of deadly force acts committed by the police was as much a controversial issue in the last century as it is today.