Study Notes on Police Use of Force and Classroom Policies

Attendance and Communication Issues

Class Attendance Policies:
- Instructors express frustration over students who email to inform about absences.
- It is emphasized that a single email notifying an absence is insufficient and excessive emails about absences are not required.
- Students are encouraged to communicate directly with classmates for missed material rather than reaching out to instructors.
Etiquette for Email Communication:
- Students should avoid asking whether important material was covered in their absence.
- This question is deemed insulting as it implies lack of seriousness in the instruction received.
- Instructors will not respond to such emails.
- Responsibility lies with students to catch up with classmates regarding missed classes.

Introduction to Police Use of Force:
- Topic is deemed highly relevant due to its connection to police corruption and public relations.
- The complexity of establishing strict rules about police use of force due to varied circumstances faced by officers is highlighted.
Understanding Non-Negotiable Coercive Force:
- Definition:
- Non-negotiable coercive force describes the unique authority granted to police to use force without negotiation.
- Breakdown of Terms:
- "Non-negotiable": Indicates there is no scope for bargaining.
- "Coercive force": Refers to the ability to compel action through physical means.
- Example Scenario:
- If a person refuses to leave a property when asked, the police have the authority to use force to remove them, contrasting the legal repercussions that a civilian would face when attempting similar action.

Force Continuum (Stair Step Model):
- Police can escalate their use of force systematically based on the level of resistance faced, with the ability to use one level of force above the individual's action.
- First Level: Verbal commands.
- Example: Telling a noncompliant individual to leave with a warning of potential arrest.
- Subsequent Levels:
- Physical interaction: Initiating contact if verbal commands are ignored.
- Increased Force: If resistance continues, options include using batons, pepper spray, or tasers, each progressively more severe.
Police Weapons and Their Use:
- Baton:
- Used primarily for striking specific nerves to incapacitate without striking lethal areas.
- Illegal to swing above the shoulders unless in life-threatening situations.
- Pepper Spray:
- Causes temporary incapacitation; consists of various pepper types.
- Effectiveness: Some individuals are unaffected; individuals wishing to carry must undergo exposure training.
- In case of use, responsibility lies on them to ensure police are called after deployment, to avoid personal liability.
- Taser:
- Causes neuromuscular incapacitation; viewed as less-than-lethal but still potentially fatal for at-risk individuals (e.g., those with heart conditions).
- Officers must experience being tased before being authorized to carry.

Fleeing Felon Law:
- Previously allowed police to use deadly force against fleeing suspects known to have committed felonies.
- Supreme Court Case: Tennessee v. Gardner (1980) overturned this law, establishing that deadly force should only be used in life-threatening situations.
Limitations of Deadly Force:
- Officers are required to justify the use of deadly force as necessary for self-defense or in defense of others, mirroring societal self-defense laws.
- Every police action using force carries a risk of legal repercussions and potential lawsuits.

Experiential Learning:
- Academy recruits undergo training that exposes them to conditions using both tasers and pepper spray.
- Purpose: Ensures recruits understand the consequences of the tools they will use and helps them fight through discomfort in real-life scenarios.
Recruits’ Feedback on Pain:
- Recruit accounts detail discomfort experienced post-exposure, emphasizing lasting effects of pepper spray compared to the brief impact of a taser.

Public Perception of Police Use of Force:
- Personal experiences shared by recruits highlight the public's misunderstanding of police actions and the decision-making process during tense encounters.
- Legal cases show how incidents can result in significant legal consequences and civil suits against officers, driving the need for clear guidelines and outcomes from police actions.

Review for Planned Test:
- Students reminded to bring necessary materials for the upcoming test, emphasizing the need for familiarity with content discussed in class.
- Importance of understanding the legal and ethical implications of police use of force articulated.