Introduction
Police discretion, use of force, and de-escalation methods are all areas of the policing
field in which officers should be effectively trained in. Discretion is important in that a situation
can change in a matter of seconds for the worse or better all because of a quick decision the
officer had to make. Poor use of discretion can lead to unnecessary violence and could perhaps
even have a fatal end (Bohm & Haley, 2018). Use of force is extremely important to know when
to use. Oftentimes, police officers end up using force to get the suspect to comply when it was
unneeded. Lastly, de-escalation methods are vital for officers to practice. In some scenarios, it
can be a matter of life or death, so using various methods of de-escalation could potentially save
someone’s life.
Body Camera Footage 1
In Body Camera Footage 1, the unarmed suspect gets accused of jaywalking. The officers
told him to stop multiple times, yet he continued. One of the officers began to provoke the
suspect to the point where he felt harassed. At first, the officers calmly talked and questioned
him. Yet when the suspect started running to avoid an arrest, the officers chased him down and
tackled him to the ground. They started using unnecessary force as he screamed for help and
begged the officers to stop. One of the officers was punching the suspect in the head while the
other was tasing him. As the suspect did not pose an immediate threat to the safety of the public
or officers, the force used was inappropriate for the situation at hand. It had an unnecessary
ending with the paramedics being called due to improper police discretion.
Body Camera Footage 2
In Body Camera Footage 2, the suspect is visibly armed with a knife. He posed an
immediate threat to the safety of himself, the public, and the officers, however, he did not run or
resist the police. The officers in this situation use a non-provoking method of de-escalation to
calm the suspect down and convince him to drop the knife. After, they thanked him for his
cooperation. This scenario ended appropriately, with no one harmed, all due to the proper use of
police discretion, keeping calm, no unnecessary force, and respecting the suspect.
Biblical Worldview
Coercive methods, such as methods used in Body Camera Footage 1, tend to escalate a
situation very quickly and put everyone involved in danger. "The proper way to use force is to
fight evil, specifically those violating the inalienable rights of others or oneself" (Fischer, 2019).
Non-coercive methods, such as the ones used in Body Camera Footage 2, promote the safety of
everyone as well as set an example of proactive policing. It is important to keep God in mind
when dealing with discretion, use of force, and de-escalating situations. By remembering that He
is ultimately in control of the situation and knowing that He has a plan, officers can feel more at
peace and remain calm in stressful scenarios. Additionally, the Bible reminds us that everyone
deserves to be shown kindness and love (Romans 12:10), so rather than being disrespectful to
suspects, treating them with the kindness that God shows us can go a long way.
References
Bohm, R., & Haley, K. (2018). Introduction to Criminal Justice (9th ed.). Columbus, OH:
McGraw-Hill Custom. Retrieved from https://learning.mheducation.com/static/awd/index.html?
_t=1707516041729#/
Fischer, K. (2019). Biblical Principles of Criminal Justice. Prezi. Retrieved from
https://prezi.com/rdo7e91mruov/biblical-principles/?utm
New International Version. (2011). The Holy Bible. Bible Gateway.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A10&version=NIV
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