Use of Force
The Use of Force topic provides news, information and training on one of the most commonly discussed areas in police training programs. Learn how to educate your community about use of force, the risks unarmed individuals pose and more.
The Barnes v. Felix case brings a federal circuit split to the Supreme Court, challenging whether deadly force should be judged at the “moment of threat” or under a broader “totality of circumstances” approach
Court rules that the deputy acted reasonably when fatally shooting wounded prone suspect who fled after shooting another officer
How law enforcement officers can navigate the challenges of responding to residents armed with weapons — and avoid escalating tense situations
Due to the incident, former officer Nicholas Hanning was fired and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor third-degree assault
The appellate court held the law was sufficiently clear and that the officer “should have known he could not use deadly force on an unarmed man in a parked car.”
While consistent training can significantly improve outcomes, a flawless performance is improbable given the limits of human performance under stress
Earlier this month, a suspect ignored police commands, pulled a firearm and fired multiple rounds from close range toward officers
As part of his plea agreement, J. Alexander Kueng admitted he held Floyd down while handcuffed, knowing from his training this could create a substantial risk
Video shows police restrain the suspect, who appeared to be holding a pair of swords
The man reportedly severed his finger when an officer shot him with a less-lethal projectile
Police Superintendent David Brown contested the findings, saying the shooting did not violate department use-of-force policies
Police were in a hourslong standoff with the man before shots were fired, after his mother called 911 to report he was vandalizing a vehicle
Bob Scales, who previously served as the compliance coordinator for Seattle PD, discusses what happens when a police agency is placed under a consent decree
The pursuit began when the suspect was identified by police driving a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of a local Walmart
Police offered to transport the suspect to a local hospital just before he lunged toward an officer with a knife
A drone operator located the man, clad in body armor, in the woods as he approached threatened to shoot law enforcement officers
The incident began with a 911 call from a woman saying her husband was suicidal and holding a machete
Police response to these medical emergencies should focus on intervention and treatment of the patient
The judge said prosecutors had failed to provide a grand jury panel with information on how and when officers are legally justified in firing their weapons
The importance of simulator technology for police training
She told the dispatcher her husband knew she would call police for his intoxication, so gathered ammunition to meet police with gunfire at front door
“There is nothing I can say in defense of that officer’s actions that night,” said Police Chief William McManus
Incident videos help responders identify the physical and behavioral cues of a severe behavioral emergency that may or may not have a criminal component
The officers had been suspended after the arrest video was circulated on social media, and state and federal authorities launched investigations
Prude’s death was ruled a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint” with the drug PCP cited as a contributing factor
The federal government has lagged behind many local PDs whose officers have been using body cameras for years
A protest medic filed a $450K lawsuit against the city for a broken arm obtained during a protest
During the course of about four minutes, the man fired 15 rounds from two rifles at officers responding to reports he assaulted a family member
Federal judge overturns $1.2M civil rights jury verdict against City of Indianapolis
The Calif. department’s changes stem from an incident where the pepper balls were fired at a suspect after police stopped a car in search of a stolen vehicle
A judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the city’s policies or training standards were the problem
“Handcuffing is now required to be reported as a use-of-force, so that has increased astronomically,” MPD PIO Garrett Parten said
Washington State University researchers are working with police departments to objectively review videos to benchmark officer performance and inform training
