So let's talk about the use of force here. Now the first thing to remember here is that police aren't soldiers, which means their job isn't to go around killing people, their job is to maintain the peace. Peace being whatever keeps people calm or content. The way peace is maintained depends on the circumstances and your actions which will be explained later. Detaining people is always preferable to killing them, however in some circumstances it is impossible to achieve a peaceful end.
So as a police officer you are given a number of tools to handle a situation. These tools range from words, to unarmed techniques, to pepper spray, to baton, to pepper spray, to a taser, to a gun. Different circumstances call for a different tool and certain perimeters have to be met to use a certain tools. These parameters would be referred to as a the Totality of the circumstances and reasonable force. You stop using force until the guy you are after gives up or stops. Basically the right tool for the right job, and only the right tool.
Using your words:A lot of times as an officer you will be talking to people. Words can make the difference between a peaceful end and violent confrontation. For example you can talk someone down from getting into a fight, calm a violent crowd, or prevent a confrontation from every happening in the first place. The opposite can happen if done incorrectly. Often just talking and giving verbal commands are done first to end a situation.
Hands:Not every respects authority figures or wishes to go quietly. Many contacts with people can become physical fights. You will have to punch, kick, tackle, grab people in order to get them to stop attacking, whatever it takes to get that person to stop. Once they stop or surrender you detain them and bring them in.
If you punch him and the gives up, okay. If you have to tackle him and cuff him, okay. If you have to wrestle him to get him to stop, okay.
If you knock out their teeth after they give up, not okay. If you kick them after they pass out, not okay. If keep beating him after your person has blacked out, not okay. etc etc
Baton:In addition your firsts you can use a baton. A baton can be brought out to pursue aggressive people around you to not fight. For example you are called into a bar and you pull you baton to convince those four large drunk dudes that they don't want to fight you. A baton is usually used against an unarmed opponent who is not willing to give up easily. Like the baton, no revenge hitting. Your goal is stop the fight and detain the attackers. Just because he insulted my mother as I'm cuffing him doesn't mean I can knock out his teeth.
Pepper spray:Pepper spray can be used before a baton or before an unarmed confrontation. Pepper spray can be used against unarmed threats who are getting too close to you, yelling in your face, grabbing you, charging you, etc. The goal of pepper spray is to make it harder for someone to fight you. If they give up and start crying, okay. If they don't give up and continue trying to attack you and you beat them up, okay. You can't pepper spray anyone. Only people who about to attack you, or attacking you.
Taser:This one is usually the last resort against an unarmed attacker. They are incredibly short ranged, they run off two wires and fishhooks that send an electric current into someone. Alternatively you can use it to prod someone. The purpose of a taser is to temporarily stun someone. Tasers affect everyone's body differently. They are not designed to kill, but they could kill someone wired up on various narcotics or have some sort condition. Sometimes tasers just don't stun people period because their bodies don't seem to want to be affected by electric currents.
Again I can't tase anyone, only violent agress people who have been deemed a threat to the peace.
Firearms Part1: Handgun:Handguns are a last resort tool. They are usually brought out against an armed opponent(knives, broken bottles, shanks, someone with a gun, etc). In some states you can bring out a handgun on an unarmed opponent. Usually a verbal command is given into the addition of drawing out a handgun. If that person starts charging at you are starts shooting at you, you basically shoot at them back. You can also shoot them if they start pointing a gun at you, or hostage. Whatever it takes to save someone's life or end a confrontation. If you shoot them and drop down dead in one hit, okay. If get hit and drop down screaming in pain, okay. If they drop down alive, but die on their way to the hospital, okay. If they drop their gun and say they surrender and you cuff them, okay.
If they drop down and shoot them, not okay. If they drop down and surrender and you shoot them, not okay. If you shoot them after they died, not okay.
Usually after an officer an officer involved shooting, internal affairs is sent to investigate whether the proper use of force was justified and that their was no malice intent involved.
Firearms part 2: Rifle/ShotgunPretty self explanatory. These are brought out against someone with a gun/long gun(rifle/shotgun) who are about to shoot are who have started shooting. Same rules apply to handguns.
Flashbangs:These are used indoors mostly by swat to stun people in rooms. Only for special circumstances.
Tear Gas:Used to break up violent or aggressive crowds. Only used during routs and riots, sometimes during a swat raid.
Pepper balls:Used during prison riots, and street riots and routs. Like tear gas and pepperspray, used to make it harder for someone to fight you, to break up crowds, and to make them give up faster
no, you dont get it. because the legal system cant prove him guilty, it obviously means individuals can't come to obvious conclusions.
The officer can be found guilty if internal affairs can prove that he used excessive force or did what he did for malice intentions such as prejudice.
