Lawyer Philip Dube Chimes in on Witness Testimony | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Police officers should consider calling for backup when dealing with bystanders and should not let the presence of a crowd affect their use of force on a restrained subject.

Key Insights

• 🤙 Officers should consider calling for backup when dealing with bystanders to ensure the situation remains under control.
• 😒 The presence of a crowd should not justify the use of excessive force on a restrained subject.
• 😒 Annual use of force training may not adequately address crowd control tactics.
• 👮 The full context of an encounter should be taken into account when evaluating an officer's actions in response to bystanders.
• 💁 Laypeople may not have access to all the information surrounding an incident and may not understand the actions taken by officers.
• 🤗 Hand-to-hand crowd control techniques should be incorporated into officer training.
• 👮 Adequate crowd control training can help officers effectively manage intimidating situations.

Transcript

but you also have to put yourselves uh in the minds of the officers in the field there what would there be other ways for officers to deal with bystanders yes and could that include calling for backup yes would the presence of multiple officers at a scene be a relevant fact for an officer to consider when using an amount of force on a handcuffed an... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Do police officers receive regular training after being hired?

Yes, officers receive updated training annually, including use of force training.

Q: Should officers take into account the presence of other officers when using force on a restrained subject?

No, the presence of other officers should not impact the amount of force used.

Q: Does police academy training provide sufficient preparation for handling use of force situations?

It should provide appropriate training, but it is unclear if crowd control training is comprehensive.

Q: Should officers receive specific training on crowd control tactics?

Yes, officers should be trained on how to handle crowds, including establishing cordons and effectively communicating with them.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Officers should consider alternative ways to handle bystanders, including calling for backup.

• The presence of multiple officers at a scene should not impact the amount of force used on a handcuffed and restrained subject.

• Use of force training is updated annually, but it is unclear if crowd control training is adequate.