Unrestricted use of power is the condition under which the government officials use force that surpasses the required. The application of power by police officers is permitted under certain circumstances, such as while defending yourself of another individual or group. According to IACP, uncontrolled use of power is the "amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject" (NIJ: Law Enforcement, 2020). The paper explains the situations under which officers should or should not apply force, reasons, and steps to reduce power.
The police officers' primary role is to regain control as they protect the individuals in the community. The government officers are not allowed to use force in situations like controlling incidents like road accidents; they should not use power to displace people and to arrest suspects. However, there are situations by which they are allowed to apply force to individuals like when preventing escapes, such as criminals escaping from jail or escaping from police custody. If the law officers have a probable believe that a suspect poses a threat like injuries or death to a fellow officer or other people, they should use force to arrest the individual (Urbonya, 1995) . Police officers should follow the law while applying force.
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Police officers are termed as the protectors of people in the communities. However, it is worth questioning why police apply force excessively. Some of the reasons are discrimination and prejudice, psychological problems, such as stress, and toxic environment (Roithmayr, 2016) . They sometimes fear the suspects under arrest and hence engage brutally to the suspects. Some law enforcement departments allow the officers to carry use force and even go to the extent of rewarding them. Police officers should operate in high standards observing their codes of ethics in professionalism.
Due to an increase in application of intemperate force by the police, the department of police should place some mechanisms to protect the public. Some of them include;
Pre-service screening. Before hiring, officers must undergo a thorough screening to determine underlying issues, such as aggressive behavior, to determine their suitability.
Training officers on the need to be ethical (Obasogie & Newman, 2017).
Monitoring the officer’s behavior to determine individuals using excessive force.
Hiring psychologists to assess the functionary officers’ inclination towards violence.
In conclusion, excess force entails the use of force that exceeds the required. There are situations that police officers should use force like preventing escapes; no force should be used when handling calm individuals. Some reasons why officers apply force include discrimination and fear. The police departments have developed ways to encounter police brutality, like training the officer and monitoring their psychological health. Police officers should maintain their commitment to serving and guarding the community.
References
NIJ: Law Enforcemennt . (2020, March 5). Retrieved from National Institute of Justice: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/overview-police-use-force
Obasogie, O. K., & Newman, Z. (2017). Police Violence, Use of Force Policies, and Public Health. American Journal of Law & Medicin, 43 , 279-295. doi:10.1177/0098858817723665
Roithmayr, D. (2016). The Dynamics of Excessive Force. (U. o. Forum, Ed.) 2016 (10). Retrieved from https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol2016/iss1/10
Urbonya, K. R. (1995). Dangerous Misperceptions: Protecting Police Officers, Society, and the Fourth Amendment Right to Personal Security. Faculty Publications , 465. Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/facpubs/465
