Читать книгу Force Decisions. A Citizen's Guide to Understanding How Police Determine Appropriate Use of Force онлайн

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Intent simply means that the Threat wanted to do something bad. Pointing a gun indicates Intent. Yelling, “I’m gonna kill that bitch!” indicates Intent. Balling up a fist indicates Intent. Going limp or just sitting when ordered to leave indicates Intent.

Just as a homeowner can order you to leave his house, a business owner or event organizer can ask the police to order you to leave. In most jurisdictions, you must comply when an officer asks for ID. When Immigration asks to see your passport, you do not have the right to refuse. These are all lawful orders.

A citizen does not have any right to refuse a lawful order. Officers can and, in some cases, will be required to use force to ensure the order is followed.

Intent for what? To harm someone, including the officer, or a third party or for the threat to harm him- or herself. Or to break any law. Or to disobey a lawful order.

The Threat must also have Means. The officer needs to be able to explain why he reasonably believed that the Threat had what he needed to carry out his Intent. If a ninety-year-old woman struggling with a walker snarls, “I’m gonna tear your head off and shit down your neck,” the words indicate some pretty serious Intent, but she probably lacks the Means. Tearing off a head is pretty difficult.