A Hard Hitting Look At How Police Decide To Use Force

REVIEW OF

FORCE DECISIONS

A CITIZENS GUIDE

Understanding How Police Determine Appropriate Use of Force

By Rory Miller

The average citizen may not understand why one person pulled over in a traffic stop will be arrested without incident, while another person in the same city is pulled over and ends up being shot multiple times by law enforcement officers.

This book explains how and when officers use force to regular folks like you and me.  Rory Miller takes a hard look at the training that officers receive, tools available within various departments, changing case law, and environs where different techniques may be necessary (such as within a jail).  The author writes in a plain and direct style that is easily understood.

Miller is a veteran corrections officer, with extensive martial arts training.  He has taught Police Defensive Tactics, and wrote much of the book while working overseas for the Iraqi Corrections Systems.

The author takes into account societal changes in cultures and technology.  He advocates for law enforcement’s use of cameras in an age of cellphone pictures and video being able to instantly spread to wide audiences.

Considerable attention is given to Miller’s 12 “Hard Truths.”  To give an idea of what they are like, consider #1, “The only defense against evil, violent people is good people who are more skilled at violence.”

Police officers spend many hours working with people from subcultures that do not adhere to the values and norms most of us are accustomed to.

Due to this, officers may react to situations in ways average citizens do not expect.  The way in which officers evaluate potential threats is explained in ways everyone can understand.

This book is highly recommended for its direct and hard hitting explanation of the sensitive issue of force application decisions made by law enforcement officers everyday.

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Disclosure of material connection: I received this book free from the publisher.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”