The use of excessive force by police officers is still rampant in many parts of the world, including the USA. Many people have been killed or excessive harassed by police officers who are supposed to protect them when they are under any threat. The case of James Chasse that occurred on September 17, 2006, was a clear indication that the use of excessive by law enforcement officers against innocent and unarmed civilians is still rampant even in civilized countries like the USA. A number of interventions have been taken by the government and the law enforcement agencies to reduce cases of police harassment. For instance, body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been used as a way of reducing the use of excessive force by the police. Apart from BWCs, law enforcement agencies now require police officers to carry less-lethal weapons while on duty to reduce excessive use of force (Renaud, 2012). Cases of use of excessive force by police officers can be reduced significantly if the police are required to carry less-lethal weapons while on duty.
People were shocked when the police killed Chasse in cold blood in 2006, even though the innocent young man was not armed and he did not pose any threat to the officers. Without noticing that Chasse only had schizophrenia, one of the most common mental illnesses, the police used excessive force, including the use of a taser to subdue him (Renaud, 2012). Specifically, the police beat and kicked Chasse until the helpless man became emotionless. He became unconscious and then loaded at the back of the police where he died almost two hours later. The police argued that Chasse was a drug dealer, even though he was a writer and illustrator. To show and condemn police brutality, the Mental Health Association of Portland produced a documentary film titled “Alien Boy: the Death and Life of James Chasse." It was unfortunate that the police used brutal force against the innocent person who was only suffering from mental illness (Renaud, 2012). Based on findings from various studies, the death of Chasse could have been prevented if the three police officers who killed Chasse carried less-lethal weapons.
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Researchers have done some studies to determine the relationship between carrying less lethal weapons and police brutality. Findings of many studies have revealed that carrying less-lethal weapons in a significant reduction in injuries in both police officers and suspects. A study that was conducted by MacDonald, Kaminski, and Smith (2009), for instance, found that the use of conductive energy devices (CEDs) leads to a substantial reduction of injuries to law enforcement officers and suspects or civilians. The researchers concluded that the use of less-lethal weapons or technologies results in a decline in injuries and sometimes death of suspects. Therefore, to reduce cases of police brutality that led to the death of Chasse, the police should not be allowed to carry lethal weapons while maintaining law and order or arresting suspects.
At the same time, the police are motivated or encouraged to apply excessive force on unarmed suspects or civilians when they are carrying lethal weapons. Psychologists argue that the visual cue of a lethal weapon always stimulates aggression ( Benjamin Jr., Kepes & Bushman, 2018) . The police may feel safe when they know they have lethal weapons, making them apply excessive force when they arrest suspects who may be resisting the arrest. Besides, civilians are also motivated to assault the police when the law enforcement officer is carrying lethal weapons ( Benjamin Jr., Kepes & Bushman, 2018) . For instance, suspects are likely to resist arrest or use force against the police they are carrying lethal weapons. Thus, based on the argument by psychologists, it is possible that Chasse reacted aggressively against police officers when he realized they were carrying lethal weapons like a taser.
However, some criminologists argue that carrying less-lethal weapons encourage civilians to assault police officers. Also, less-lethal weapons have been accused of increasing unnecessary deaths and injuries of both the police and civilians ( MacDonald, Kaminski & Smith, 2009) . Hence, the police should be allowed to carry lethal weapons when marinating law and order. Nonetheless, unlike lethal weapons, non-lethal technologies like CEDs can hardly cause injuries and deaths. Although it is possible for less-lethal weapons to cause death and injuries, they are safer than lethal weapons.
In conclusion, to prevent police brutality that can lead to severe injuries and deaths, law enforcement officers should not carry lethal weapons while on the job. On the contrary, they should be provided with less-lethal weapons like CEDs that have been found to reduce police brutality significantly. Innocent and vulnerable people like Chasse should not die just because the police are carrying lethal weapons. At the same, it is important to educate the police on how to use any weapon that they carry or use when they are on duty. The public should also be informed of the dangers of assaulting police officers. The government and law enforcement agencies have a role to ensure that the police carry less-lethal weapons to avoid unnecessary deaths and injuries.
References
Benjamin Jr, A. J., Kepes, S., & Bushman, B. J. (2018). Effects of weapons on aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, hostile appraisals, and aggressive behavior: A meta-analytic review of the weapons effect literature. Personality and social psychology review , 22 (4), 347-377.
MacDonald, J. M., Kaminski, R. J., & Smith, M. R. (2009). The effect of less-lethal weapons on injuries in police use-of-force events. American journal of public health , 99 (12), 2268- 2274.
Renaud, J. (2012, October 12). Alien Boy: the Death and Life of James Chasse . Retrieved from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1588834897/alien-boy-the-death-and-life-of-james- chasse
