submachine gun. The
United States Armed Forces defines deadly force as "Force that is likely to cause, or that a person knows or should know would create a substantial risk of causing, death or serious bodily harm or injury.". In the
United States, the use of deadly force by sworn
law enforcement officers is lawful when the officer reasonably believes the subject poses a significant threat of serious bodily injury or death to themselves or others. The use of deadly force by law enforcement is also lawful when used to prevent the escape of a fleeing felon when the officer believes escape would pose a significant threat of serious bodily injury or death to members of the public. Common law allowed officers to use any force necessary to effect a felony arrest, but this was narrowed in the
Tennessee v. Garner ruling in 1985 when the
U.S. Supreme Court said that "deadly force...may not be used unless necessary to prevent the escape, and the officer has
probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others." The US police killing rate is 3.05 police killings per million of
population. The US police killing rate of Blacks is 5.34 per million; of Hispanics is 2.63 per million; of Whites is 1.87 per million, and of others is 1.5 per million of population. The US police killing rate of Blacks is 2.86 times the US police killing rate of Whites.
In relation to motor vehicles In , the
U.S. Supreme Court held that a police officer's attempt to terminate a dangerous high-speed car chase that threatened the lives of innocent bystanders did not violate the
Fourth Amendment, even when it places the fleeing
motorist at risk of serious bodily injury or death. In the
Harris case, Officer Scott
applied his police car's push bumper to the rear of the suspect's vehicle, causing the
suspect vehicle to lose control and crash, resulting in the fleeing suspect being paralyzed from the waist down. ==See also==