Reference no: EM133400141

Case Study: A student in your class wrote a response to discussion.

The discussion was: "Do less-lethal weapons achieve their stated goals? Use evidence from the readings to defend your position. Also consider: How do you think less-lethal weapons affect police-community relationships? That is, do you believe community member recognize that one of the goals is to keep suspects safe? Even though they are referred to as "less" lethal, there is still the possibility that these weapons could kill someone. Should these weapons still be used?"

The student response: "The advantage of a less-lethal weapon is highly dependent on the type of weapon used by the opposing group or individual. If the opposing group uses a more dangerous and innovative weapon, the less-lethal weapon will fail to achieve their stated goal. In the article "The TASER as a Less Lethal Force Alternative: Findings on Use and Effectiveness in a Large Metropolitan Police Agency" it states, "The option of resorting to force shapes the interactions between police and the public and influences the decisions that individuals make during these encounters. Because of the magnitude of this responsibility and its potential for abuse, police agencies typically provide officers with a "continuum of force" to guide officer decision making based on the amount of danger or resistance present during an encounter with a citizen" (White and Ready 2007). This quote conveys how police officers and individuals of the public will use deadly force depending on the situation, which means that less-lethal weapons can be taken advantage of by anyone.

No, the lethality of the weapon has no bearing on the police-community relationship. The wise and appropriate use of a weapon undoubtedly influences the police relationship with the people in their community.

Until the suspects are proven to be blameworthy, they should be treated with caution because they are the ones who provide significant evidence to anyone seeking equity.

Question: The police keep the weapons in order to ensure the safety of individuals. If the hoodlums or fear-based oppressors don't have any weapons, they should consider not keeping them, but if they do, they should have a weapon with them to secure the neighborhood and also use it for their own protection."