Law enforcement officials receive guidelines and training on the use of force, but there are no universal standards. Most operate within a force continuum, deciding what level of force to use. The UN has adopted principles on the use of force, including the use of non-lethal weapons. Force is considered excessive if more than necessary is used, and lethal force is only justified in extreme situations. US courts examine the need to use lethal force to prevent serious bodily harm.
What might constitute an appropriate use of force by law enforcement varies from situation to situation and country to country. In the United States, police officers receive guidelines and training on the use of force from the individual agencies where they are employed. However, there seem to be no universal standards governing when to use force or how much to use. Instead, force is generally thought to be adequate if it were necessary and not excessive.
One thing that all law enforcement officials in most parts of the world share is that they are empowered by their governments to use appropriate force. They may face situations involving potential harm to themselves or others with little time to make their own decisions. Most guidelines are based on the experience of the particular police agency, the function the officers perform, and any state or federal guidance available to them.
Most police officers, in the United States and other countries, operate within a force continuum and must decide, sometimes quickly, what level of force to use. The continuum goes from the mere presence of an officer to diffuse a situation, to the use of lethal force. In between are verbal commands, the use of physical restraints, batons, chemical sprays, taser guns, and anything but lethal force. The use of each must be necessary and proportionate to the circumstances.
There is some international consensus on approaches to the use of force by police personnel. A United Nations conference has adopted the Basic Principles on the Use of Force by Law Enforcement Officers. The principles include the development by government agencies of regulations regarding the use of force and weapons. Non-lethal, incapacitating weapons should be used as much as possible before using lethal force. Force of any kind should be used in moderation, administered in a way that minimizes injury, and accompanied as soon as possible with necessary medical attention.
In most jurisdictions, force is considered improper and unjustified in any case where it is not necessary to comply with a lawful police directive. Force becomes excessive when more than necessary is used to achieve a legitimate policing purpose. The use of lethal force requires a threat of serious bodily harm to officers or civilians.
The lethal use of force is considered unnecessary when the least intrusive means are realistically available to the police. US courts that decide misuse of lethal force cases examine whether there is a threat of serious bodily harm and the need to use lethal force to prevent it. The courts also recognize that extreme situations may exist where other alternatives to lethal force cannot be considered.
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