ABSTRACT
Police use of force is probably the most controversial and challenging issue in law enforcement. This chapter discusses research on the predictors of use-of-force incidents by police, including the types of calls that most often result in police officers using force, and precursors such as verbal or physical resistance. The research demonstrates that, despite popular media images, use-of-force events are relatively rare, but that policies should still be guided by existing laws. Therefore, policies on this issue must be based on the varieties of force ranging from deadly force to excessive force. Use of non-deadly force occurs when deadly force is not authorized, and the officers may use only the level of force that is reasonable to bring an incident or suspect under control. Written guidelines to assist the officers in the decision to use force are usually identified in the "use of force continuum/matrix".
