Introduction
Security guards are permitted and required to use force in certain circumstances, including but not limited to when defending themselves or others. In this respect, some nations have created the use of force model to direct police actions in various circumstances. This essay examines the meaning of the use of force model, its application, and the preparations an officer can make in the event that they are summoned to handle a domestic disturbance using the use of force framework. NIJ (2009) defines the use of force model as a framework that provides law enforcement civilians and officers guidelines on when to use force and an the appropriate amount of force to use in a given circumstance. Based on the definition, security officers should use the model to guide them in determining the appropriate level of force one should use in different circumstances. According to NIJ (2016), the officers should use the model to assess, plan, and act on a given security situation. The framework guides the officers to choose the appropriate level of force progressively based on the situation.
Application of the Use of Force Model
A security officer can apply the model to resolve a domestic disturbance in the following way. Preparation is the first key step. Preparation involves the officer asking him/herself a number of questions before arriving at the scene. The questions include the number of suspects involved in the situation, whether the subject is compliant or cooperative, armed, and whether the law enforcement officer is alone or with other officers (Ontario.ca, 2016). Such questions are critical when assessing the situation prior to arriving at the scene.
Once the officer gets answers to these questions, h/she then moves to planning the appropriate actions to take to address the situation. That is, the officer develops a plan to reduce the risk to him/herself and others. Some of the questions the officer can use in the planning phase include whether or not the cover is available and whether h/she is displaying any threatening cues that might influence the subject's behavior (NAHB, 2017). The officer should also consider the time/distance ratio. Such question will help the officer determine whether to increase or decrease the space between him/her and the subject (Ontario.ca, 2016). Assessment and planning should be a continuous process depending on subject's response. The officer should also profile the suspect's behavior upon arriving at the scene before taking action. The guiding questions for assessing the subject's behavior include whether the suspect is cooperative, passively resistant, actively resistant, threatening, or has weapons. The observed behavior will help the officer to identify the tactics needed to address the situation.
Perception and Communication
Perception regarding a situation and subject's behavior is also important for the officer to resolve the situation successfully. The perception of the situation regards the cues the officer will pick and what h/she believes is happening in the situation (NAHB, 2017). Indeed, the officer's perception of the situation determines the tactics h/she uses in the situation. The officer engaged in the security situation also needs to communicate to the subject. Sickels (2015) suggests the officer to constantly communicate with the suspect to calm the situation, obtain adequate information about what happened, and tell the subject what h/she should do. These steps will help the officer to address the situation successfully.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has become necessary for security officers to use force. However, there is a debate about how one can identify situations that require the police to use force and the level of force to use. As such, many countries have introduced the use of force model to guide security officers in making informed decisions on how and when to use force against subjects.
References
NAHB. (2017). A security guard’s guide to “use of force” theory. Retrieved from http://www.nahb.ca/blog/security-guards-guide-use-force-theory
NIJ. (2009). The use-of-force continuum. Retrieved from https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/officer-safety/use-of-force/Pages/continuum.aspx
NIJ. (2016). Police use of force. Retrieved from https://nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/officer-safety/use-of-force/Pages/welcome.aspx
Ontario.ca. (2016). Private security and investigative services. Retrieved from http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/PSIS/BasicTesting/SecurityGuardStudyGuide/UseofForceTheory/SG_use_of_force.html
Sickels, T. (2015).Can supervisory style influence police officers’ use-of-force behavior? Retrieved from https://www.policeone.com/police-leader/articles/8759584-Can-supervisory-style-influence-police-officers-use-of-force-behavior/
