Question 1

The U.S. Supreme Court identified which of the following as the appropriate standard for judging officer actions during high speed pursuits in the case of the County of Sacramento v. Lewis?

Accepted Answer

In the case of County of Sacramento v. Lewis, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the appropriate standard for judging officer actions during high-speed pursuits is whether the officer's conduct "shocks the conscience." This standard takes into account the need for officers to make split-second decisions during pursuits but also holds them accountable for conduct that is so egregious that it shocks the conscience.

Question 2

What is the definition of excessive use of force?

Accepted Answer

Excessive use of force is defined as the application of more force than is necessary in a given situation. This can include the use of physical force, such as striking or using a weapon, or non-physical force, such as verbal threats or intimidation. It is important for law enforcement officers to use only the amount of force necessary to accomplish their objectives and to avoid using excessive force, which can lead to injury and civil liability.

Question 3

Which of these factors influence police officers' use of force?

Accepted Answer

Laws set the legal boundaries for the use of force by police officers, training influences officer behavior and decision-making, departmental culture can shape how force is viewed and implemented, and individual characteristics (such as attitudes, beliefs, and experiences) can also affect an officer's use of force. Research and evaluation can also play a role in understanding and addressing the use of force, but it is not included in all of the listed factors. Family background, while potentially influential in some cases, is not generally considered a major factor in determining police use of force.

Question 4

What is the significance of the Supreme Court's decision in Tennessee v. Garner (1985)?

Accepted Answer

The significance of the Supreme Court's decision in Tennessee v. Garner (1985) is that it set limits on the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers to apprehend a suspected felon. The court ruled that the Fourth Amendment prohibits the use of deadly force against an unarmed and non-dangerous fleeing suspect unless the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others. This decision was important in establishing the standard for the use of deadly force by law enforcement and protecting the civil rights of citizens from excessive and unnecessary use of force by the police.

Question 5

The training program provided by law enforcement academies, agencies frequently have policies-at a minimum-in the following areas:

Accepted Answer

Law enforcement agencies typically have policies on the use of force, use of firearms, and regulations for officers being armed off duty to ensure safety and compliance with legal standards.

Question 6

When does the use of deadly force arise?

Accepted Answer

The use of deadly force is only legally justified when an officer's or another person's life is threatened by deadly force.

Question 7

Can policies, in and of themselves, influence police officers' use of force?

Accepted Answer

Policies can influence police officers' use of force if they are regularly updated, clearly explained, and actually enforced. This means that policies that are well-written, well-communicated, and well-enforced can help guide officer behavior and prevent unnecessary use of force.

Question 8

We do not have reliable numbers of citizens killed by the police. Which of the following statements explains why?

Accepted Answer

Many instances of police violence are not properly reported or investigated, leading to undercounting of the true numbers of citizens killed by police. Additionally, different agencies may use different criteria for what constitutes a police killing, leading to discrepancies in official measures.

Question 9

What are some of the strategies that departments can use to deal with police abuses of authority?

Accepted Answer

Personnel selection and performance evaluations can help ensure that officers who are hired and retained are less likely to abuse their authority.

Question 10

Does the use of CEDs (conducted energy devices) represent excessive force?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Does the use of CEDs (conducted energy...

Question 11

Most police officers complete their entire careers without ever using deadly force.

Accepted Answer

While some police officers may use deadly force in their careers, it is not a common occurrence and the majority of officers are able to do their job without ever having to use lethal force.

Question 12

The police do not have the power to lawfully control the behavior of other citizens.

Accepted Answer

The police are authorized to control the behavior of citizens when necessary to enforce laws and maintain public safety.

Question 13

Shouting, cursing, and threatening force are not considered examples of a use of force.

Accepted Answer

Shouting, cursing, and threatening force are considered examples of verbal or psychological force.

Question 14

The number of police killed in the line of duty is higher than the number of citizens killed by the police.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2018, whereas according to the Mapping Police Violence database, 1,147 people were killed by the police in the same year. Therefore, the number of citizens killed by the police is higher than the number of police killed in the line of duty.

Question 15

While police officers and others often talk about lethal force versus less-than-lethal-force, the latter is best described as less lethal force.

Accepted Answer

Less lethal force is still capable of causing serious injury or death, and should not be considered completely non-lethal. Therefore, it is more accurate to describe it as "less lethal" rather than "less-than-lethal."

Question 16

Suicide by cop refers to situation where some individuals set out to provoke a confrontation with law enforcement with the intent of being shot.

Accepted Answer

Suicide by cop is a real phenomenon where individuals purposely provoke a law enforcement response with the goal of being killed by officers.

Question 17

Under current rules, no officer may use deadly force against a "fleeing felon."

Accepted Answer

Under current rules in the United States, as established by the Supreme Court case Tennessee v. Garner (1985), an officer may use deadly force against a fleeing felon if the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.

Question 18

Drugs or alcohol are involved in a significant portion of incidents alleging police use of excessive force.

Accepted Answer

Studies and reports have shown that drugs or alcohol are often present in incidents involving police use of excessive force. For example, a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center found that at least half of all police shootings involve someone with a mental illness, often exacerbated by substance abuse.

Question 19

Torts are defined as criminal wrongs.

Accepted Answer

Torts are not criminal wrongs, but civil wrongs. Criminal wrongs involve acts that society has deemed to be illegal and can result in punishment such as imprisonment or fines. Torts involve acts that cause harm or injury to others and can result in the injured party seeking compensation in a civil court.

Question 20

No matter what the departmental policy says, in practice, the departmental culture influences what the officers do.

Accepted Answer

Departmental policies may set standards for behavior and actions, but the culture within the department can dictate how those policies are interpreted and implemented by officers in their day-to-day work. The attitudes, beliefs, and norms of the departmental culture can strongly influence the behavior of individual officers, as well as the collective behavior of the department as a whole.

Quiz 5: Police and the Use of Force