Governments and Law Enforcement Agencies

blah blah blah Governments and law enforcement agencies should develop a range of means as broad as possible and equip law enforcement officials with various types of weapons and ammunition that would allow for a differentiated use of force and firearms. These should include the development of non-lethal incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations, with a view to increasingly restraining the application of means capable of causing death or injury to persons. For the same purpose, it should also be possible for law enforcement officials to be equipped with self-defensive equipment such as shields, helmets, bullet-proof vests and bullet-proof means of transportation, in order to decrease the need to use weapons of any kind.

There are many dangerous situations that law enforcement professionals encounter. Occasionally there is the need to use force, either less than lethal (non-deadly) or lethal (deadly). If the use of force is not exercised correctly, the officer, his or her department, and the public entity may face substantial litigation and a risk of injury for the officers involved.

Justifying the use of force when making an arrest, preventing an escape, protecting the public, or in self-defense is a very serious responsibility. The type of equipment issued to officers often plays a key role in determining what use of force options are available and in what sequence these weapons may be used.

In situations where verbal persuasion is not successful or not an option, less than lethal force may need to be utilized. Less than lethal force is described as the amount and type of force used that generally will not result in serious injury or death. The use of less than lethal force is an alternative in situations where the potential of injury to an officer or for the public exists, but where the use of lethal force would be excessive and not justifiable.

Lethal force is described as the amount and type of force used that is intended or likely to result in death or great bodily injury. Lethal force may be used only when the law enforcement professional believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to his or her self, or another person. According to Missouri State law, a law enforcement officer while effecting an arrest or preventing an escape from custody

Is justified in using deadly (lethal) force when he or she reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is immediately necessary to effect the arrest and also reasonably believes that