POLICE USE OF FORCE

An Essential Guide to Judgment, Leadership, and Responsible Use of Force

Dr. Michael D. Schlosser’s Police Use of Force: Judgment, Reality, and Constitutional Reasonableness is an outstanding examination of one of the most important and often misunderstood responsibilities within public safety.

What stood out most to me was the focus on looking beyond the outcome of an incident and truly understanding the totality of circumstances that influence decision-making. The discussion around constitutional reasonableness, human performance under stress, perception versus reality, and split-second decision-making reinforces that these situations must be evaluated based on what was known at the moment — not with the benefit of hindsight.

As a healthcare Security Director, I found the principles extremely relevant. While our environment differs from traditional law enforcement, we face many of the same challenges involving unpredictable human behavior, de-escalation, resistance, and protecting others during rapidly evolving situations.

This book reinforces that proper use-of-force practices begin long before an incident occurs — through training, preparation, leadership, policy, accountability, and developing professionals who understand both authority and responsibility.

The sections involving supervisory oversight and evaluation are especially valuable for leaders responsible for reviewing incidents, coaching teams, and ensuring actions are reasonable, ethical, and defensible.

Dr. Schlosser provides a balanced and realistic perspective that benefits officers, security professionals, supervisors, and administrators committed to raising the standard of their profession.

Highly recommended for anyone responsible for protecting people and leading those who do.