Perceptions of Use of Force Essay

IntroductionLaw en force outment ships officers face rationalize circumstances on a daily basis. Their job is to isolate and countermine circumstances that pose a threat and are beyond the have of citizens in their community. There are times officers may need to hang out to force if necessary to gain control of an escalating situation. Basic law enforcement educate introduces officers to the force options available.Use of force is the amount of effort required by law of nature to compel compliance by an unwilling subject (joined States division of arbiter, 2004). The methods used to gain compliance range from verbal commands to the use of virulent force. The use of force can have extensive consequences, both peachy and bad, for the earth, plane section, and officers twisty.Few events in law enforcement attract the attention of the media, political establishment, and practice of law administration more than a use of force disaster, specifically an officer-involved shoo ting. Media reporting couchs the intelligence of the contact communities. This also influences the perception of officers and department staff, before and later on chances.Officer PerceptionInterviews conducted with officers who have been involved in shootings have revealed that turn many were well trained for the event, they often were non prepared for the probe afterward (Pinizzotto, Davis, & Miller, 2006). Some believed investigations centered on finding something the officers did wrong so they could be charged with a crime or a entrancement of departmental policy. Others felt that the investigations were for the protection of the agency and not necessarily the officers involved (Bohrer & Chaney, 2010). Officers actions can be influenced by their experience with use of force incidents and noesis of what has happened to fellow officers in similar situations.The Publics PerceptionPerceptions by the public of officer use of force incidents usually are as wide and diverse as the population, often driven by media coverage, and sometimes influenced by a long-standing bias and mistrust of government (U.S. section of Justice Community Relations Services, 1999). Though an officer feels they have the right to shoot, and the essay supports the officers actions, this may not guarantee a positive, or even a neutral, reception from the public. In addition, who the police shoot seems to mold some perceptions. For example, a bank robber armed with a scattergun presents a different connotation than a 14-year-old thief wielding a spit (Bohrer, Kern, & Davis, 2008).Sometimes, it is who the police use the force against that can set the tone surrounding the incident. Communities where residents have perceived a police use of force incident as unjustified have a history of acting out with acts of civil disobedience. There are members of some communities that automatically assume the officer did something wrong in a use of force incident before the circumstances su rrounding the incident are revealed. This may be a result of the medias premature coverage surrounding the incident.A departments lack of cooperation with the media can develop poor communication amid the public and the police, resulting in distrust surrounded by all parties. By flunk to interact with the media in interviews or providing press releases, the department contributes to the negative perception builded by the media and public. The standard no comment statement abandoned from departments, leaves the media and public with the impression that the police are trying to hide an incident involving excessive use of force.ConclusionEstablishing an open and positive working descent with the media can improve relations between the department and public. The department should nonplus proactive steps to demonstrate their cooperation with the media by having a department vocalization contact the media before media representatives onslaught the department. By taking the proact ive approach the department demonstrates a desire to release information as it becomes available. Agencies should form a working relationship with the media and encourage them to print and air stories on the responsibilities of officers and the training conducted to enhance their abilities.General information on past shootings, simulator experiences, and the thought of the reasonable objective officer can help develop a cooperative association (Masters, 2000). Such a collaborative effort between the police and the media is not a magic pill and will not alleviate all of the public misperceptions and problems. However, it may reduce or disallow false perceptions, especially with officer-involved shootings (Pinizzotto, Davis, Bohrer, & Chaney 2009). Working together with the media forms the foundation of public understanding. connector together and sharing information can help both the police and the media deal with officer use of force incidents in a decent and sensible way, as we ll as influence the perception of the public in a more positive manner.ReferencesBohrer, S., & Chaney, R. (2010). Police investigations of the use of plaguey force can influence perceptions and putcomes. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , 21-24.Bohrer, S., Kern, H., & Davis, E. (2008). The destructive dilemma Shoot or dont shoot. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , 7-12.Masters, B. A. (2000, February 13). chthonic the gun I died, I killed, and I saw the nature of deadly force. Washington Post .Pinizzotto, A. J., Davis, E. F., & Miller III, C. E. (2006). Violent encounters A study of wrong assaults on our nations law enforcement officers. Washington, DC.Pinizzotto, A. J., Davis, E., Bohrer, S., & Chaney, R. (2009). Law enforcement perspective on the use of force hands-on, experimental training for prosecuting attorneys. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , 16-21.U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Services. (1999). Police use of excessive force A conciliation handbook for the police and the community. Washington, DC.United States Department of Justice. (2004, June). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved September 12, 2010, from COPS Community OrientedPolicing Services http//www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp/Item=1374