NCJ Number
193039
Date Published
2002
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This chapter defines police violence and examines how officers respond to real and perceived challenges to their authority.
Abstract
Police use of force is defined as the exertion of power to compel or restrain the behavior of others. Deadly force is force used with the intent to cause death or great bodily harm. Less-than-lethal force is force used with the intent to cause injury but not death. Police violence is typically defined according to the experiences and perceptions of the individuals involved. Danger and authority create the “working personality” of police officers. Because of the difficulty in understanding if, and how much, force is necessary, police officers faced with threatening suspects often find themselves in a no-win situation. If the officer uses force, he or she may antagonize the suspect to respond with force and/or be viewed as instigating the violent encounter. If he or she does not seize control of the situation it exposes greater levels of danger to the officer and any bystanders. A complicating factor in understanding the use of force often lies in defining the term necessary. Positive public opinion of police officers is essential for effective community policing. Community policing can help ease the tensions between the police and minority groups, who have historically believed that the police do not give minority needs and concerns the attention they deserve. Community policing attempts to focus on real problems whereas traditional policing generally attends to symptoms of problems. College-educated officers are often better prepared to accept and practice the concepts of community policing. Today’s police officer must be a problem solver and view each citizen as a partner. Investing in the community through addressing both youth and media violence should be of great concern to any police department. 49 references