Evidence Solutions' Law Enforcement Expert Witnesses provide consulting and expert witness testimony for a wide range of policing topics. Frequently their cases focus on Use of Force issues, requiring them to look at every detail of a situation that has unfolded and determine whether or not an officer in question acted appropriately based on their training, department policies, and the law.
Generally speaking, Law Enforcement Officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to defuse or manage a situation. In situations where an officer is acting in self-defense or in defense of others, increasing levels of force are generally viewed as acceptable. Many high-profile incidents have unfolded in recent years where officers were viewed as using excessive force, increasing tensions in communities.
Many situations may arise that could prompt questions regarding the use of force, ranging from unnecessarily physical arrests to improper taser usage to officer-involved shootings. There is not a universally agreed-on definition for the term Use of Force, but the International Association of Chiefs of Police has described it as the "amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject".
Police departments usually have general guidelines stipulating what level of force is appropriate for various situations. Often the mere presence of a Law Enforcement Officer is enough to defuse a potentially tricky situation, and no force is required - or perhaps mere verbalizations suffice. Physical restraint tactics may be employed when that is not enough, followed by non-lethal force, such as an electric stun gun. (Although electric stun guns have resulted in deaths before, as you may read here). Lethal force is the final and most serious category and should be reserved for moments of self-defense or in situations where someone else is about to incur bodily harm.
These cases can be complex, with many subtleties. What an officer anticipates in the moment may be proven wrong when all the facts are laid bare in the aftermath, and suspects that are trying to disengage may still be inaccurately viewed as a threat. An officer may have a long track record of previous violent entanglements to weigh, and there are always considerations of race, gender, and class that further complicate cases. Our Law Enforcement Use of Force experts are highly experienced Law Enforcement professionals with extensive knowledge and experience speaking to these sensitive issues. Do you have a case that may benefit from a Use of Force Expert? Call today for a consultation.