NCJ Number
161112
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 65 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1996) Pages: 25-32
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Making appropriate decisions regarding the use of deadly force is the most critical challenge confronting police officers, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recognizes that training in the use of deadly force should encompass the knowledge and skills necessary to make correct decisions and should reflect the commitment of police management to share the responsibility for making those decisions.
Abstract
In response to the deadly force policy implemented by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in October 1995, the FBI has developed law enforcement training procedures concerning police use of deadly force. Common threads in the DOJ policy include the establishment of an imminent danger standard and reaffirmation that deadly force should not be used even when an imminent danger exists if it creates an unreasonable risk to innocent third parties. The underlying premise of the FBI's training doctrine is that requisite knowledge for assessing threats must be learned. The FBI uses a multistage approach to instruct agents in the use of deadly force. The first stage involves classroom instruction. In the second stage, trainees are given scenarios and challenged to determine the propriety of using deadly force according to established criteria. The third stage incorporates practical application of principles using interactive video simulation and exercises. The instructional outline for training FBI agents in the use of deadly force and illustrative training scenarios are provided. 3 photographs