1. Excessive force refers to force in excess of what a police officer reasonably believes is necessary.
2. A police officer may be held liable for using excessive force in an arrest, an investigatory stop, or other seizures.
3. A police officer may also be liable for not preventing another police officer from using excessive force.
4. Whether the police officer has used force in excess of what he reasonably believednecessary at the time of action is a factual issue to be determined by the jury
5.Excessive force by a law enforcement officer(s) is a violation of a person's constitutional rights. The term ‘excessive force’ is not precisely defined; however, the use of force greater than that which a reasonable and prudent law enforcement officer would use under the circumstances is generally considered to be excessive.
6. In most cases, the minimum amount force required to achieve a safe and effective outcome during law enforcement procedures is recommended.
7. Police brutality is a violation of the law. “Cruel and unusual punishments” by the state (police) are prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
8. The Fourteenth Amendment provides further protection to individuals, prohibiting the state from depriving “any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”.