using appropriate force

[bigdog]

I was listening to a web cast on O.com recently and it discussed use of force and they touched on officers using to little force which endangers other officers or clients. My question is would you discipline an officer for using to little force? Such as using pepper spray against a person with a knife. why or why not?

[OccamsRazor]

I was listening to a web cast on O.com recently and it discussed use of force and they touched on officers using to little force which endangers other officers or clients. My question is would you discipline an officer for using to little force? Such as using pepper spray against a person with a knife. why or why not?

Sadly, one of the trends today in LE or security management seems to be against using force, even at the expense of officer safety. Look at supervisors telling armed guards not to ever, under any circumstances, remove their weapons from holsters...The same thing happens in LE. I was involved in a shooting incident that was completely justified, but had an adminis-traitor ask why we hadn't tased the shotgun wielding suspect (answer- he was shooting at us!).

See also: http://www.policeone.com/writers/col...icles/1186521/

Best bets...If a guard or officer is attacked by a knife wielding suspect and resorts to OC or hands-on techniques, and the manage-mental types or unwilling to do anything to resolve a glaring officer safety issue, you're screwed if you have to work with this person. They'll quickly develop Marchetti Syndrome, as in "Well, this guy attacked me with a knife, and I beat his ass, so I must be invincible due to my mall ninja moves!"

More training (remedial), and peer pressure are good solutions if no one with "authoritah" is willing to step up and say "you done wrong".

I had some other/sensible point to make, but I forgot it...The car has to go to the shop.

[N. A. Corbier]

Wonderful. We now have a syndrome name. Marchetti Syndrome. Unfortunately, some administrators who are too focused on suspect liability instead of officer safety and worker's comp liability are really in tune with that syndrome.

[Mall Director]

Very true.. Liability can float both ways, including officer safety. I think sometimes we get on the wrong track when it comes to use of force.

I refer back to the federally approved "Use of force Continuum" procedure for direction in these cases.. Cant go wrong there!