Analyze a landmark court rulings explain how this case changed police practices to stay compliant with the law.
In 1974, two members of the Memphis Police Department were responding to burglary in progress call; the neighbor reported that she heard glass breaking as someone broke into the home next door (Blume, 1984). Upon investigation, one of the officers witnessed someone fleeing from the back of the house, he spotted the suspect crouching beside a fence thirty to forty meters away (Blume, 1984). Consequently, the officer identified himself as the police and commanded the suspect to stop, the suspect disregarded the command and attempted to jump over the fence (Blume, 1984). Unfortunately, it was at this point the Officer Hymon drew his weapon and shot fifteen-year-old Edward Garner in the head leading to his death (Blume, 1984). According to the officer, Memphis teaches the use of deadly force for apprehension of a fleeing felon, after other options have been exhausted, in accordance with police training which teaches officers to shoot to kill rather than wound (Blume, 1984). Garner’s father filed suit against the Police Department, the Mayor, …show more content…
One of the strategies embraced by police is a gun prevention program known as operation ceasefire, started in 1995, In Boston, police witnessed many gang related youth homicides (National Institute of Justice, 2008). So the Boston Police teamed up with members of the community to create Youth Violence Strike Force made up of street smart individuals with familiarity in gang culture (National Institute of Justice, 2008). The YVSF identified sixty-one crews with over 1300 members (National Institute of Justice, 2010). The main objectives were to attack firearm traffickers, and use intervention to deter gang members and the carrying of guns (National Institute of Justice,