When are cops alowed to shoot?

Question

iv'e seen a lot of movies with cops when thy pull out their gun

and I know they can shoot when threathend with a weopon

but can they shoot at any other time like if someones is running?

Answer 1

Police can shoot whenever they want to. Ask Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell and countless others. I digress, though.

To answer your question, police are only justified in drawing their weapons, much less shooting, when it is their intention to protect the well being of themselves and/or others.

Can they shoot someone while running away? Well that depends. If you are running away with a weapon in your hand and turn towards an officer, or towards a bystander, then yes. They can shoot you as long as they can justify why they had to to protect themselves or anyone else from you harming them with the weapon you held.

To justify a shooting, a police officer need only justify the need to stop you from harming anyone.

Answer 2

When someone is running NO. If they are threatened with another wepon such as a car they can shoot. But just running no. If this has to do with the Oakland, CA incident than no the officer should not have shot. It is still under investigation though.  

Answer 3

Here's the catch..they shoot who ever they want and justify it by saying they saw him reach for his waistband...classic but still works.

Answer 4

Use of deadly force. Only to protect myself, or a third person in a threat with deadly force. Officers can also use it if a arrested felon subject is attempting to ecape by deadly force.

Answer 5

procedure in California allows the police to use deadly force to stop a fleeing felon, self defense, or to protect the life of another.

legally the police officer could shoot the perp who punched the woman in the face. but just because an officer CAN shoot a fleeing felon, it doesnt mean they do, common sense is involved.

there have been cases when an officer knows the law, shoots the felon, and is later fired and faced with criminal charges for excessive force.

Answer 6

Deadly Force is applicable and justified in the event that I reasonably believe that my life or the life of another is in imminent danger of great bodily harm or death. But there are some times and circumstances where I cannot or am unable to use my firearm to do so. And I also have to be aware of the surroundings and I am accountable for the shots that are fired. Unfortunately, the bad guy isn't!

If someone is running and shooting at me, then yes I can. But if someone is simply running and do not pose a threat to anyone then no. Look up "Tennesee v. Garner". This was a Supreme Court ruling that clarified the use of deadly force on a fleeing subject.

EDIT-The answer for your second question would be, no.

Answer 7

depends on rather or not there are any witnesses

Answer 8

When they're lives have been threatened .

Answer 9

When necessary for self-defense.

When necessary for defense of a third person.

That's pretty much it.

Cops may not shoot at a fleeing felon, either in California or elsewhere, unless there is at least probable cause that the fleeing felon poses a significant threat of serious bodily harm or death to either the officer or another person.  Again, that means self-defense or defense of a third person.

Hopefully brian reads this before the next shift.

Edit: Suspect punches a woman, then runs away.  Nothing more?  Then shooting the suspect is completely unjustified.  That's the rule from Tennessee v. Gardner, a Supreme Court case that someone else already mentioned.

Unjustified use of force is an unreasonable seizure - a violation of the 4th Amendment.  Any cop who were to shoot at the crook in your hypothetical would be facing a Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit, and likely criminal prosecution as well.

Brian, go get your academy workbooks, and re-read Learning Domain 20, concerning use of force.