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.
At SHOT Show 2025, Force Science and VirTra explored the reality behind police decision-making under stress, the impact of hindsight bias, and why high-fidelity training is critical for officer preparedness and accountability
Get insights into how the duty to intervene is transforming law enforcement through leadership, accountability and legal frameworks
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Barnes v. Felix could help resolve whether use of force should be judged by the moment of threat doctrine or the totality of the circumstances
The exercise was designed to assess whether cadets recognize when to use nonlethal force; Timothy Rankine was the only recruit to shoot the virtual suspect
Raising a Monell claim is one way plaintiffs try to get at the purse of the government agency in the role as the officer’s employer, supervisor and policy-maker
A recent case highlights the importance of “clearly established” law at the time of law enforcement-civilian interactions
Departments are now required to produce public reports when officers are found to use excessive force, lie on the job or engage in other misconduct
Officials will review how the agency addresses misconduct complaints and discipline
To better inform policies regarding the training and use of VNRs by law enforcement, emergency medicine doctors published their latest research
How policy, training and tactics are evolving to address these volatile situations
“We think that the use of force remains reasonable after a suspect employs a weapon, has not surrendered, and thus remains dangerous.”
Investigators said the victim “didn’t have the apparent intent to harm” officers with the weapon
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
