Chapter 7

Summary:
The use of force continuum is a guide for deciding which level of force is appropriate for a police officer to deploy based on the action of the suspect.  The dynamic resistance response model (DDRM) is fluid, letting the suspect control the interaction.  There is passive, aggressive, and deadly resistance as well as compliance of the suspect.  Tennessee v. Garner found that a police officer, when pursuing a fleeing suspect, may use deadly force only to prevent escape if the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.  Police brutality is the unnecessary use of force by police against citizens, resulting in injury.  Civil liability is the basis for which a cause of action is made to recover damages.  Torts are a civil wrong or infraction and can be divided into intentional and constitutional subtypes.  Section 1983 legislation is a portion of the U.S. Code that allows a legal action to be brought against a police officer or other person in position of authority who, it is believed, used his position (“acted under color of law”) to violate one’s civil rights.  General areas of liability include proximate cause, persons in custody and safe facilities, failure to protect, and vehicle pursuits.  More minorities and women are needed in the policing field; however, there are more women and minorities represented throughout the United States as compared to past numbers. Several technological advances have aided officers in the field, including wireless technology, crime mapping, locating serial offenders with geographic profiling, smartphones, electronic control devices, robotics, GPS, and databases (AFIS).

Objectives:

• Describe what constitutes the inappropriate use of force by the police, as well as the use of force continuum that helps to determine the amount of force that is justified
   
• Explain the law concerning police high-speed vehicle pursuits
   
• Review the types of acts that constitute police brutality
   
• Explain the meaning and applications of U.S. Code Title 42, Section 1983, and the types of police actions that are vulnerable to Section 1983 lawsuits
   
• Discuss how police officers—and their supervisors—might be held criminally liable for their misconduct
   
• Explain the law as well as areas of police liability concerning police high-speed pursuits
   
• Explain the status and advantages of women and minorities in policing
   
• Delineate several types of technologies that are assisting police in large measure toward investigating crimes and identifying their perpetrators

Outline:

• Use of Force: A Sacred Trust
   
  • The Force Prerogative
     
  • What Type of Force to Use? A Model
     
  • Police Brutality
     
• When Failing the Public Trust: Civil Liability
   
  • Civil liability
     
  • Torts and Negligence
     
  • Section 1983 Legislation
     
  • General Areas of Liability
     
• Needed: More Women and Minorities
   
  • Gains and Obstacles for Women
     
  • Overcoming the History of Police-Minority Relations
     
• Police Technologies
   
  • Wireless Technology
     
  • Crime Mapping
     
  • Locating Serial Offenders
     
  • Smartphones
     
  • Electronic Control Devices
     
  • Robotics
     
  • Traffic Functions
     
  • Databases for Fingerprints and Mug Shots