Twenty-one Feet Is Way Too Close

• NCJ Number: 203269
• Journal: Law Enforcement Trainer Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2001 Pages: 12-15
• Author(s): Frank Borelli
• Editor(s): Frank A. Hackett
• Date Published: July 2001
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Training
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines and questions from a training perspective the current acceptable distance (21 feet) that a suspect armed with an edged weapon needs to be before an officer can perceive a presence of deadly threat and be justified in his use of deadly force.

Abstract

It is common knowledge and accepted in police and court circles that a suspect armed with an edged weapon, such as a knife and within 21 feet of a police officer presents a deadly threat. This accepted standard came about because the average man can run that 21 feet in about 1.5 seconds; the same 1.5 seconds it will take police officers to recognize danger and draw, point, and fire their weapon. This article questions the validity of this standard and gives arguments against it from several positions. In addition, the question presented is how far away does that suspect, armed with an edged weapon, have to be before he’s not a deadly threat? An example of an officer convicted of unjustifiable use of deadly force in the shooting of a suspect who was standing 32 feet away with a baseball bat is used in the arguments presented. The court determined that the suspect did not present deadly threat against the officer. However, mathematics proved that it takes less than 2.5 seconds for that same suspect to close 32 feet and do an officer bodily harm. Once the suspect is shot, he still has enough oxygen and adrenaline in his system to close another 210 feet (70 yards) and do bodily harm. This is based on the suspect beginning his run at the officer, the officer recognizing the danger, drawing his weapon, and firing the weapon. It is argued that there is no specified distance at which an officer can readily assume a suspect is too close and deadly force is justified. Therefore, for training purposes the article presents four factors that must exist prior to the response with deadly force: (1) opportunity; (2) ability; (3) imminent jeopardy; and (4) preclusion.