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.
Court affirms that tactics used to disperse unruly crowd did not violate protesters’ constitutional rights, dismisses excessive force lawsuit and grants officers qualified immunity
The 8th Circuit upheld officers’ use of force in Aden v. City of Bloomington, citing Graham factors and qualified immunity
Repeated incidents of weapon confusion point to deeper flaws in training, tactics and system design — and demand a shift in how we prepare for high-stress encounters
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell condemned the decision, saying the policy violations were clear and the discipline commensurate with the seriousness of the incident
Retired Lt. Dan Marcou was sitting at a picnic table eating a chili dog with his grandkids when a lone officer started pursuing a suspect on foot; the officer radioed for assistance, but Marcou ran to help
Michael Owen Jr.'s defense attorneys held that he was acting in self-defense when he shot William Green in 2020
Chief Michel Moore agreed with an internal force review board that said the officers had “sufficient time to contact” the Mental Evaluation Unit
The court ruled that the law’s language was not unclear and it did not conflict with pre-existing laws surrounding chokeholds
A recent case involving law enforcement provides an opportunity for a closer look
EMS and law enforcement collaborative training helps prepare responders to treat and monitor patients experiencing a constellation of symptoms
The appellate court began its analysis by noting that a charging vehicle can be a deadly weapon
The May incident led to an officer being fired and charged, as well as increased de-escalation training at the department
The jury could have convicted Nathan Woodyard on charges of either manslaughter or negligent homicide, but it found him not guilty of both
“I need to make sure that I have someone whose primary job is to take a look at use-of-force incidents and examine them thoroughly,” Sheriff John Nowels said
Union President Steve Slack said officers are “doing an exemplary job in improving mental health call outcomes and no amount of cherry-picking data can take away from that fact”
The district attorney labeled the deputy’s decision to jump into the suspect vehicle as “unusual,” but said that his use of force was necessary
Uses of force captured on video can be misinterpreted, exposing officers and agencies to significant civil and criminal liability. Are you providing the best evidence?
An Ark. officer’s actions come under legal scrutiny as the Eighth Circuit Court revives a lawsuit concerning the 2016 shooting of a suicidal teenager
“The goal is to prevent whatever the situation is from escalating up to the point that force would have had to be used.”
“The reality is that all force, all violence is ugly. But just because force is ugly does not mean it is unlawful or contrary to (agency) policy,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said
Officer Alec Iurato was given the Courage in Service award after shooting the gunman who shot him and killed two other officers in an ambush
The five former officers continue to fight second-degree murder charges in state courts
The defendant officer was initially denied qualified immunity after fatally shooting a violent subject
Court rules that the behavior of the dog, and the subject’s failure to control the dog, could lead a reasonable officer to perceive the dog as an imminent threat
Right now, a very dangerous person is preparing for the day they meet you. Are you preparing for them with martial arts training?
Convictions on the criminal charge of failure to intervene should reverberate in every police agency across the nation
You don’t get to “win” the fight. You stop when the violence or active resistance has stopped
Implement these steps to help ensure when your officers are asked how they are holding up after an OIS you’ll get an answer that’s better than “I’m okay.”
These charges encompass offenses such as wire fraud and the deprivation of rights under the pretense of authority
The main topic of discussion at the court-ordered reform meeting was the circumstances under which officers employ force
Judge: “Thao’s actions were objectively unreasonable from the perspective of a reasonable police officer, when viewed under the totality of the circumstances”
The court determines whether to grant officers qualified immunity for allegations of excessive force
“We’ve got seven police officers who were just doing their duty, and were placed in a position by all three of the deceased that they had to use deadly force.”
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