NCJ Number
166536
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 63 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1996) Pages: 45-47
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
After profiling the use-of-force continuum as defined by the University of Illinois Police Training Institute, this article discusses police training under the model as well as policy considerations.
Abstract
The use-of-force continuum is used by police agencies to manage, train, control, and respond to its need regarding the use of force by its officers. The continuum is designed to encourage an officer to respond to the amount of resistance met with an equal amount of force to stop resistance or ensure compliance. The officer's response is necessarily based on his/her perception of another's action. The officer responds to these actions by using force that is reasonable. The use-of-force model used by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia includes five categories of perceived subject actions and five corresponding stages of officer responses. Training to a standard with the use of force must be conducted under realistic conditions, since the environment is always changing. Incorporating the continuum into training helps prepare the officer for use-of-force confrontations. By establishing a policy that incorporates a use-of-force continuum, a department will provide necessary guidance to its officers in making split-second decisions. When made a part of departmental policy, the use-of- force continuum allows police agencies to state clearly the levels of force acceptable in response to specific situations, thus simplifying their officers' decisionmaking process. 14 footnotes, 1 figure