Police Use of Force under International Law

438 Pages·2017·6.113 MB·English

by  Stuart Casey-Maslen, Sean Connolly

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have an impact in situations where police use force. Police Use of Force under o-
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International Law explores this tension in detail for the first time. It critically na
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against detainees, during protests, and in the context of counterterrorism and
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counterpiracy operations. Key trends, such as the growing use of private security
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services, are also considered. This book provides a human rights framework for no
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police weaponry and protection of at-risk groups based on critical jurisprudence eic
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from the last twenty years. With pertinent case law and case studies to illustrate r

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the key principles of the use of force, this book is essential reading for anyone
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a F Stuart Casey-Maslen and Sean Connolly
Stuart Casey-Maslen is honorary professor at the Law Faculty of the University of t
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Pretoria. He holds a doctorate in international humanitarian law, a master’s degree r
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in international human rights law, and a master’s degree in forensic ballistics. ae

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He was formerly head of research at the Geneva Academy of International
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Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and is editor of the Mine Action Review,
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an assessment of the implementation of international disarmament law published
by Norwegian People’s Aid.
Sean Connolly is an expert on policy development and implementation across
the public sector, especially in reducing inequality and promoting community
safety and involvement. He has particular experience in programme management
of neighbourhood-based regeneration programmes. Most recently he was
Intelligence & Analysis Manager at Birmingham City Council, managing a
partnership approach to shared intelligence across the police, the council, and the
National Health Service with a view to supporting families with multiple needs.
Cover illustration: Armed officers from the
British Transport Police patrol armed with LMT
defender 5.56mm automatic rifles, 9mm Glock
pistols and tasers as part of Counter Terrorism
Awareness Week at London Bridge station
in London on November 27, 2014. © JUSTIN
TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

POLICE USE OF FORCE UNDER
INTERNATIONAL LAW
Policingiscommonlythoughttobegovernedbydomesticlegalsystems
andnotinternationallaw.However,variousinternationallegalstandards
areshowntohaveanimpactinsituationswherepoliceuseforce.Police
UseofForceunderInternationalLawexploresthistensionindetailforthe
firsttime.Itcriticallyreviewstheuseofforcebylawenforcementagencies
in a range of scenarios: against detainees, during protests, in counter-
terrorism and counterpiracy operations, as well as during everyday
policing.Keytrends,suchasthegrowinguseofprivatesecurityservices,
are also considered. This book provides a human rights framework for
policeweaponryandprotectionofat-riskgroupsbasedoncriticaljuris-
prudence from the last twenty years. With pertinent case law and case
studies to illustrate the key principles of the use of force, this book is
essentialreadingforanyoneinterestedinpolicing,humanrights,stateuse
offorceorcriminology.
stuart casey-maslen isHonoraryProfessorattheFacultyofLawof
theUniversityofPretoria.Heholdsadoctorateininternationalhumani-
tarian law, a master's degree in international human rights law, and a
master'sdegreeinforensicballistics.HewasformerlyHeadofResearchat
the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human
Rights and is Editor of the Mine Action Review, an assessment of the
implementationofinternationaldisarmamentlaw.
sean connolly is an expert on policy development and implementa-
tion across the public sector, especially in reducing inequality and pro-
motingcommunitysafetyandinvolvement.Hehasparticularexperience
in programme management of neighbourhood-based regeneration pro-
grammes. Most recently he was Intelligence & Analysis Manager at
Birmingham City Council, managing a partnership approach to shared
intelligenceacrossthepolice,thecouncil,andtheNationalHealthService
withaviewtosupportingfamilieswithmultipleneeds.

POLICE USE OF FORCE UNDER
INTERNATIONAL LAW
STUART CASEY-MASLEN
UniversityofPretoria
SEAN CONNOLLY
Intelligence&AnalysisExpert
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www.cambridge.org
Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781316510025
DOI:10.1017/9781108186575
©StuartCasey-MaslenandSeanConnolly2017
Thispublicationisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
noreproductionofanypartmaytakeplacewithoutthewritten
permissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2017
PrintedintheUnitedKingdombyClays,StIvesplc
AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Names:Casey-Maslen,Stuart,author.|Connolly,Sean,1967-author.
Title:Policeuseofforceunderinternationallaw/StuartCasey-Maslen,
UniversityofPretoria;SeanConnolly,Intelligence&AnalysisExpert.
Description:Cambridge,UnitedKingdom;NewYork,NY,USA:CambridgeUniversityPress,2017.|
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
Identifiers:LCCN2017006891|ISBN9781316510025(hardback)
Subjects:LCSH:Police.|Lawenforcement.|Internationalandmunicipallaw.|
Internationallawandhumanrights.
Classification:LCCK3465.C372017|DDC344.05/2–dc23
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2017006891
ISBN978-1-316-51002-5Hardback
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements viii
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ix
Introduction 1
ForceandLawEnforcement 1
TheLayoutoftheBook 5
1 A History of Law Enforcement 10
PolicinginAntiquity 11
PolicinginEnglandandWales 17
BritishColonialPolicing 32
PolicinginFrance 36
PolicingintheUnitedStates 39
Outlook 49
2 Policing and Social and Economic Policy 51
Introduction 51
FormsofPolicing 53
TheEconomicsofCrimeandCriminalJustice 67
ContractingOutPolicingtothePrivateSector 73
WhyDoesPoliceUseofForceVarySoSignificantly
acrossNations? 77
3 Core Principles Governing Use of Force for Law
Enforcement 79
Introduction 79
NecessityandProportionality 82
ThePrincipleofPrecaution 95
UseofFirearms 96
Useof‘Less-Lethal’Weapons 100
UseofForceandAt-RiskGroups 101
v
vi contents
4 Use of Firearms 108
Introduction 108
TheHumanRightsFramework 111
ScenariosWhereUseofFirearmsMayBeLawfulundertheLawofLaw
Enforcement 115
The‘Militarisation’ofPolicing 135
FirearmAmmunitionTypes 137
UseofWarningShots 142
Post-ShootingProcedures 144
5 Use of ‘Less-Lethal’ Weapons 146
Introduction 146
TheHumanRightsFramework 148
UseofSpecificLess-LethalWeaponsandAmmunition 156
6 Facilitating Peaceful Protest and Ensuring Crowd Safety
during Assemblies 184
Introduction 184
TheHumanRightsFramework 186
UseofForceduringProtests 190
TheRighttoProtestintheUnitedStates 208
PeacefulProtestinRepressiveRegimes 217
PolicingandCrowdSafetyatMajorSportingEvents 219
7 Use of Force in Custodial Settings 223
Introduction 223
PrisonConditionsinSelectedStates 225
TheHumanRightsFramework 232
ExamplesofInhumaneTreatmentofDetainees 249
8 Use of Force in Counterterrorism 261
Introduction 261
TheHumanRightsFramework 266
ExamplesofUseofForceinCounterterrorismOperations 272
9 Private Security and Use of Force 300
Introduction 300
PrivatePolicinginSelectedStates 304
TheHumanRightsFramework 307
SelectedNationalLegalFrameworks 313
ExamplesofUnlawfulUseofForcebyPrivateSecurityActors 321
AnAccountabilityGap? 333
ConcludingRemarks 339
contents vii
10 Counterpiracy at Sea 341
Introduction 341
ThePhenomenonofPiracy 344
TheHumanRightsFramework 347
ApplyingLawofLawEnforcementRulestoUseofForce
againstSuspectedPiratesandPirateVessels 351
ProtectionandRescue 364
DetentionofSuspectedPirates 366
DutytoProtectCrewandPassengersofVessels 370
11 Accountability 374
Introduction 374
TheHumanRightsFramework 377
ViolenceasaCatalystforReform 392
Index 403
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Professor Christof Heyns, Director of
the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa at the
University of Pretoria; Dr Colin Roberts, Operations Manager for the
Universities Police Science Institute (UPSI) at the University of Cardiff;
and Dr Abi Dymond, Lecturer at the University of Exeter for their
comments on earlier drafts of this book. Of course, the views expressed
herein are those of the authors alone.
viii