Introduction
Deadly force has been statutorily defined as that force:
". . . which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm and includes, but is not limited to: (a) the firing of a firearm in the direction of the person to be arrested, even though no intent exists to kill or inflict bodily harm, and (b) the firing of a firearm at a vehicle in which the person to be arrested is riding." (Gould & Gould, 1992)
Taking the above definition in consideration a police officer is justified in using deadly force when (a) the officer reasonably needs to defend himself or herself or others from bodily harm when making an arrest, (b) preventing an arrested subject in custody from escaping, (c) capturing an escaped felon, or (d) arresting a felon who is fleeing from justice and the felon has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm to another person. When feasible, some warning is given. However, police cannot use deadly force to make an unlawful arrest.
Use Of Deadly Force Models
Multiple police tactics exist that can be construed as deadly force. For example, a police car ramming a fleeing vehicle can obviously cause it to crash and kill the occupants (or innocent bystanders). One technique for halting a fleeing vehicle is called "precision immobilization" and is used by some law enforcement agencies (Pearson, 1992). While theoretically, such a tactic may be sound, fleeing criminals often do not obey the rules of the road.
The U.S. Supreme Court has reviewed a procedure that is known as the "dead man's roadblock." This occurs when the police on the roadway intentionally erect a roadblock so that the fleeing person's observation of the impasse is restricted until it is unlikely that he or she.........
