Nov 25, 2014

Reuters photographers around the world have taken portraits of police officers, and asked them at what point are they legally permitted to use force to control crowds.

When the killing of an unarmed black teenager by a white policeman in Ferguson, Missouri, in August sparked sometimes violent protests, the response of police in camouflage gear and armored vehicles wielding stun grenades and assault rifles seemed more like a combat operation than a public order measure.

Some U.S. police departments have recently acquired U.S. military-surplus hardware from wars abroad, but there are many law enforcers around the world whose rules of engagement also allow the use of lethal force with relatively few restrictions. But for every regulation that gives police wide scope to use firearms, there is another code that sharply limits their use.

: Members of the Task Force for Mexico City at their base in Mexico City. In Mexico, “when violent action by a crowd cannot be deterred, a scale of force will be applied progressively consisting of 1. verbal persuasion or deterrence 2. reduced physical movements 3. use of non-lethal incapacitating weapons, and 4. use of firearms or lethal force”. (Claudia Daut/Reuters)

: A member of Philippine National Police with a patrol segway motorcycle in front of a police station in Manila. In the Philippines, the use of extreme force against a suspect is allowed only if the police officer’s life or that of the victim (of the suspect) is in imminent danger. Picture taken September 15. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

: A member of Philippine National Police with a patrol segway motorcycle in front of a police station in Manila. In the Philippines, the use of extreme force against a suspect is allowed only if the police officer’s life or that of the victim (of the suspect) is in imminent danger. Picture taken September 15. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

: Austrian police officers in front of a water cannon at their headquarters in Vienna October 8, 2014. The uniforms include (L to R) light demonstration uniform, full combat adjustment for life threatening mission including gun (not used for riots in Austria), normal daily life uniform of commander, uniform of riot police officer, and normal uniform of police officer. In Austria, the use of lethal force is permitted to tackle rioting or to detain a dangerous suspect, but only when less dangerous methods “appear inappropriate or have proved to be ineffective”, and with the aim of avoiding serious injury where possible. The use must be proportionate, and be preceded by a warning. Picture taken October 8. (Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)

: Malaysia’s public order police, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), wearing riot control equipment at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur November 20, 2014In Malaysia, the FRU are only permitted to use firearms in cases where the protesters are using firearms. Firearms have not been used in the 59 years since the FRU was formed. Picture taken November 20. (Olivia Harris/Reuters)

: Police constable Ben Sinclair wearing his Metropolitan Police uniform with high visibility jacket, in London. In Britain, “lethal or potentially lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary in self-defence, or in the defence of others against the threat of death or serious injury”. Picture taken October 9. (Paul Hackett/Reuters)

: Police constables Ben Sinclair and Karen Spencer wearing their Metropolitan Police beat uniforms, in London. In Britain, “lethal or potentially lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary in self-defence, or in the defence of others against the threat of death or serious injury”. Picture taken October 9. (Paul Hackett/Reuters)

: Serbian police officers of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit in their base outside Belgrade. In Serbia, police may use measures ranging from batons to special vehicles, water cannon and tear gas on groups of people who have gathered illegally and are behaving in a way that is violent or could cause violence, but they may use firearms only when life is endangered. Picture taken October 8. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

: Serbian gendarmerie officers pose for a picture inside their base in Belgrade October 9, 2014. When the killing of an unarmed black teenager by a white policeman in Ferguson, Missouri, last August sparked sometimes violent protests, the response of police in camouflage gear and armoured vehicles wielding stun grenades and assault rifles seemed more like a combat operation than a public order measure. Some U.S. police departments have recently acquired U.S. military-surplus hardware from wars abroad, but there are many law enforcers around the world whose rules of engagement also allow the use of lethal force with relatively few restrictions. But for every regulation that gives police wide scope to use firearms, there is another code that sharply limits their use. In Serbia, police may use measures ranging from batons to special vehicles, water cannon and tear gas on groups of people who have gathered illegally and are behaving in a way that is violent or could cause violence, but they may use firearms only when life is endangered. Picture taken October 9. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

: Serbian police officers of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit pose for a picture in their base outside Belgrade October 8, 2014. In Serbia, police may use measures ranging from batons to special vehicles, water cannon and tear gas on groups of people who have gathered illegally and are behaving in a way that is violent or could cause violence, but they may use firearms only when life is endangered. Picture taken October 8. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

: Serbian gendarmerie officers inside their base in Belgrade October 9, 2014. In Serbia, police may use measures ranging from batons to special vehicles, water cannon and tear gas on groups of people who have gathered illegally and are behaving in a way that is violent or could cause violence, but they may use firearms only when life is endangered. Picture taken October 9. (Marko Djurica/Reuters)

: Members of Special Police Support Unit in front of their base in central Bosnian town of Zenica. In Bosnia, police are permitted to use force ranging from batons to chemical irritants, water cannon, “binding agents, special firearms and explosive devices”, following a warning, but only when other methods of control have proved ineffective, and not against the young, old or disabled unless these use firearms. The method must be “proportional to the resistance or violence coming from the person on whom the force is used”. Picture taken October 3. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

: A Mumbai police constable as he stands guard next to an armoured vehicle outside the police commissioner’s office in Mumbai October 1, 2014. In India, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) are called on for violent disorder that the police are unable to contain. They require an on-the-spot magistrate’s consent and must issue a warning before each escalation of the use of force, from verbal warning to water cannon and tear gas, then to rubber bullets or baton rounds, and then to firearms. Picture taken October 1. (Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)

: India’s Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel pose for pictures inside their base camp in New Delhi. In India, the RAF are called on for violent disorder that the police are unable to contain. They require an on-the-spot magistrate’s consent and must issue a warning before each escalation of the use of force, from verbal warning to water cannon and tear gas, then to rubber bullets or baton rounds, and then to firearms. Picture taken November 6. (Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

: Afghan anti-riot policemen (R-L) Habib, 21, Sayed Rahman, 22, Mohammad Nabi, 22, Momin Khan, 22, and Abdul Ali, 25, pose for photo at their base in Kabul October 12, 2014. In Afghanistan, “the police can use weapons or explosives against a group of people only if they it has … disturbed security by means of arms, and if the use of other means of force … has proved ineffective”. Afghan police are required to give no fewer than six warnings – three verbal and three warning shots – before using force in this situation. Picture taken October 12. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

: Afghan policemen Shir Agha, 24, Shkib, 24, Qayam, 22, Farid Ahmad, 26, and Sobhan Ullah, 22, pose for photo in Kabul. In Afghanistan, “the police can use weapons or explosives against a group of people only if they it has … disturbed security by means of arms, and if the use of other means of force … has proved ineffective”. Afghan police are required to give no fewer than six warnings – three verbal and three warning shots – before using force in this situation. Picture taken October 2. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

: Afghan policeman Zabiullah, 24, poses for photo in Kabul. In Afghanistan, “the police can use weapons or explosives against a group of people only if they it has … disturbed security by means of arms, and if the use of other means of force … has proved ineffective”. Afghan police are required to give no fewer than six warnings – three verbal and three warning shots – before using force in this situation. Picture taken October 2. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

: Italian Carabinieri in front of St. Peter’s Basilica as a Carabinieri helicopter flies overhead, in Rome. In Italy, police and the paramilitary Carabinieri follow the same guidelines, which say that the use of weapons is allowed only in the line of duty, when it is an “unavoidable necessity to overcome resistance, stop violence, or prevent a [serious] crime”, and that the response must be proportionate to the situation. Picture taken November 12. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters)

: Malaysia’s public order police, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), wearing riot control equipment at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. In Malaysia, the FRU are only permitted to use firearms in cases where the protesters are using firearms. Firearms have not been used in the 59 years since the FRU was formed. Picture taken November 20. (Olivia Harris/Reuters)

: Members of the Task Force for Mexico City in front of a bus used for training, at their base in Mexico City October 15, 2014. In Mexico, “when violent action by a crowd cannot be deterred, a scale of force will be applied progressively consisting of 1. verbal persuasion or deterrence 2. reduced physical movements 3. use of non-lethal incapacitating weapons, and 4. use of firearms or lethal force”. Picture taken October 15. (Claudia Daut/Reuters)

: Members of the Philippine National Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team pose for a picture outside a police station in Manila. In the Philippines, the use of extreme force against a suspect is allowed only if the police officer’s life or that of the victim (of the suspect) is in imminent danger. Picture taken September 15. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

: Members of the Task Force for Mexico City at their base in Mexico City October 15, 2014. In Mexico, “when violent action by a crowd cannot be deterred, a scale of force will be applied progressively consisting of 1. verbal persuasion or deterrence 2. reduced physical movements 3. use of non-lethal incapacitating weapons, and 4. use of firearms or lethal force”. Picture taken October 15. (Claudia Daut/Reuters)

: Austrian police officers in full combat adjustment for life threatening mission including gun (not used for riots in Austria) (L) and uniform of riot police officer (R) pose in front of a water cannon at their headquarters in Vienna. In Austria, the use of lethal force is permitted to tackle rioting or to detain a dangerous suspect, but only when less dangerous methods “appear inappropriate or have proved to be ineffective”, and with the aim of avoiding serious injury where possible. The use must be proportionate, and be preceded by a warning. Picture taken October 8. (Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)

: Philippine National Police bomb squad members pose for pictures with a bomb scanner and bomb suit at a police station in Manila. In the Philippines, the use of extreme force against a suspect is allowed only if the police officer’s life or that of the victim (of the suspect) is in imminent danger. Picture taken September 15. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

: Members of the United Nations security forces pose in front of the U.N. European headquarters in Geneva. U.N. police in Geneva follow the local cantonal police rules, which say that “the use of weapons, proportionate to the circumstances, is authorised as a last resort” but should “avoid serious injury whenever possible”, and that “the use of a firearm is preceded by a warning “if circumstances permit”. The United Nations Office in Geneva is considered ex-territorial and is not under the jurisdiction of the host country Switzerland. Picture taken October 20. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

: Members of Belgium’s special forces at their headquarters in central Brussels. Human rights monitors say police in Belgium are legally entitled to use proportionate force, after a warning, where there is no other means to achieve a legitimate objective. They say police may use firearms in self-defence, to confront armed perpetrators, or in defence of persons or key facilities, but never for crowd control. Picture taken November 24. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

: Police constable Karen Spencer poses for a photograph wearing her Metropolitan Police beat uniform, in London. In Britain, “lethal or potentially lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary in self-defence, or in the defence of others against the threat of death or serious injury”. Picture taken October 9. (Paul Hackett/Reuters)

: Members of Belgium’s special forces at their headquarters in central Brussels. Human rights monitors say police in Belgium are legally entitled to use proportionate force, after a warning, where there is no other means to achieve a legitimate objective. They say police may use firearms in self-defence, to confront armed perpetrators, or in defence of persons or key facilities, but never for crowd control. Picture taken November 24. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

Use of force meets the force of the law

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