NCJ Number
82619
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1982) Pages: 47-55
Date Published
1982
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The development, communication, and enforcement of a policy of police use of deadly force are discussed.
Abstract
The first phase of the development of a use-of-force policy must determine what areas the policy will cover. Those areas most often addressed are general considerations in the use of deadly force, the use of lesser force, felony versus misdemeanor situations, use of force on juveniles, shooting at vehicles, shooting board or investigation procedures, use of the police vehicle as a potential weapon, use of chemical agents, use of the baton, when to surrender a weapon, weapons qualification and testing, and the use of personal and special weapons. The writing of the guidelines is the second phase. Input from various sources is advisable in this phase. Community leaders, including representatives of any local minority community, may have useful suggestions. The department's legal advisor should assess how the policy meshes with civil and criminal statutes. In addition to issuing the written policy to each employee, both recruit and inservice training sessions on the policy should be instituted. Supervisors should see that officers apply the policy to their daily actions and also take corrective action when policy is violated. The review portion of the enforcement process may call for an examination of the incident by the agency's legal counsel and the district attorney. A sample use-of-force policy is provided.