Police are allowed to do what they think is necessary in confrontations: former officer

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The officer-involved shooting deaths in Surrey and Dawson Creek within the last month have raised many questions about how and when police decide to use lethal force.

Police are allowed to do what they think is necessary in order to subdue somebody according to former RCMP officer and lawyer Walter Kosteckwj.

He says in the eyes of the law force becomes unreasonable when it goes beyond what the circumstances require. “If there is somebody who is basically talking back to police officers and lipping them off and there are two or three police officers and they decide immediately to go to a taser or baton that would be unreasonable. So a lot of this is common-sense type stuff.”

Kosteckwj explains the officer has to decide what the danger is to them and to the public. “If he apprehends there is a danger to himself and to the public is such that it’s going to put life in jeopardy they are entitled to use lethal force.”

He adds training and experience are two factors that could help prevent cases of excessive force by police.

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