Concerned that there currently exists no universal standard to regulate the use of force by law enforcement officers on duty in member states,
Recognising that no sapient right can be fully realised without the right to life, which is often infringed upon as a result of the excessive use of force by such officers, and
Believing that the introduction of such a standard will help protect individuals of all backgrounds (including members of vulnerable or historically marginalised groups) from unwarranted police brutality...
The General Assembly hereby:
- defines, for the purposes of this resolution:
- a "LEO" (law enforcement officer) as a person employed by law enforcement in a member state in the course of their employment as such, and
- the use of "excessive force" by a LEO against a person as the use by that LEO of significantly more force than is necessary in the situation to restrain and subsequently detain that person,
- orders all entities that employ LEOs to:
- ensure, through education and in practice, that their LEOs do not use force against suspected criminals or any other person when the use of less forceful measures has not been ruled out (whether on the scene or in retrospect),
- educate their LEOs on when the use of force constitutes excessive force, as well as on when the use of those items described in Article c(ii) is appropriate, and
- regularly review incidents where the use of force was exercised by LEOs to ensure that such use did not constitute the use of excessive force,
- mandates that LEOs:
- not use excessive force against any person,
- carry, in addition to any other class of weapon or item they are permitted by the nation they work in to carry, less-than-lethal items intended to help restrain or detain suspected criminals (such as batons, irritant spray and tasers) to that effect, and
- wear body-worn cameras linked to any official vehicles they may be associated with which automatically turn on when those vehicles' lights or sirens activate; those cameras must neither be turned off unless their recording capacity is fully utilised nor have any of their recordings deleted unless they have been backed up in a secure third location,
- requires that LEOs:
- avoid causing death or life-changing injury to any person unless the life or bodily sovereignty of any person (including the LEO in question) is, or likely would be, placed in immediate danger by that person, and
- ensure that people they have harmed under Article d(i) receive any basic first aid necessary for their survival,
- compels member states to criminalise the use of force by LEOs that contradicts Articles b to d, and to punish any entities that continue to employ LEOs that have administered force in contradiction of such Articles, and
- strongly recommends that entities that employ LEOs ensure that they are accompanied by at least one other LEO when on duty.
Co-authors: Greater Cesnica,
Sanctaria
