Ambiguity of the Police Role Role: What are the concepts governing police work?
Efforts to improve welfare of community and Respect for individual rights, worth, and dignity
A good police officer must?
Have common sense
React quickly
Adopt appropriate role
Prioritize role in situations
The Police Role: What is police crime-fighting role?
Crime fighting or law enforcement. Depicted by media, public, and police
The police Role: What is police order maintenance role?
keeping peace and providing social services and their primary job
What was the Police Role in the aftermath of 9/11?
Formation of specialized antiterrorist groups
Order maintenance and social service roles
Police duties as first responders
Goals and Objectives of Policing: What are their primary goals?
Maintaining order
Protecting life and property
Goals and Objectives of Policing: What are their secondary goals?
1.Preventing crime
2.Arresting and prosecuting offenders
3.Recovering stolen/missing property
4.Assisting the sick and Injured
5.Enforcing noncriminal regulations
6.Delivering services not available elsewhere
What is police Discretion?
Freedom to act or decide a matter on one’s own
Availability of a choice of options or actions one can take in a situation
Police make policy about what laws to enforce, how much to enforce them, against whom, and on what occasions
What are three things to think and do when using discretion?
- Applies to minor offenses only, misdemeanors and offenses are not allowed.
- Use it fairly
- Don’t use it if it gets you in trouble
HOW is discretion Exercised?
- Arrest
- Stope, question, or frisk
- Use of physical force
- Use of deadly force
- Writing traffic summonses
- Use of certain enforcement tactics (harassment, moving loiterers, warnings, etc.)
- Taking reports on crimes
- Investigating crimes
WHY is discretion exercised?
- No time to enforce all laws
- Some laws are vague or passed
- Most violations of law are minor
- Complete enforcement might alienate people and overwhelm courts, jails, and prisons
WHAT factors influence Discretion?
- Characteristics of a crime
- Relationship between the alleged criminal and the victim
- Relationship between police and the criminal or victim
- Department policies
How can discretion be controlled?
- Requiring obedience to a formal set of policies or guidelines
- Employee early warning systems
- Continual review of officers’ actions
Police Discretion, shootings, and deadly force: What Court case relates do this?
Gram vs Connor - When someone judges a police officers use of force, they must judge it from the officer’s perspective at the time of the incident
What is the “Fleeing Felon” Rule
Doctrine widely followed prior to the 1960s that allowed officers to use deadly force to apprehend a fleeing felon
What court case relates to the Fleeing Felon Rule?
Tennessee V. Garner: Declared rule unconstitutional, you cannon shoot a fleeing felon unless:
- You’ve exhausted all other means to arrest them
2: They pose a threat of death or bodily injury
What is the “Defense of life” Standard?
Allows police to use deadly force against individuals using deadly force against others
What is the “Imminent danger” Standard?
Forbids warning shots and shooting at moving vehicles
What is a realistic firearms training?
Incorporating low light, noise, sirens, flashing lights, and weather conditions.
What is the “use-of-force” continuum?
Officers are taught to escalate force only to same extent that subject is using
Less-than-Lethal Force: What are some innovative alternatives to traditional firearms?
- Batons
- Bodily force techniques
- Chemical irritant sprays
- Tasers or stun guns
