Here’s when British police are legally allowed to shoot under a new policy on lethal force April 28, 2017 4.11am EDT Nicholas Clapham , University of Surrey She was simply standing still, holding a kitchen knife at her side. Hughes was not suspected of a crime. 2. If Australian police officers are allowed to shoot to kill, they should be better trained November 12, 2019 10.18pm EST Rick Sarre , University of South Australia Additionally, many police manuals authorize an officer to shoot and kill "potentially dangerous" animals when they pose a risk to safety. Police Shoot to Stop Life-Threatening Behavior. This is a fairly typical shooting policy: Firearms shall not be discharged in connection with police duty except in the following circumstances. This has vast implications for law enforcement accountability. Garner,the Supreme Court struck down a Tennessee statute that allowed a police officer to “use all the necessary means to effect the arrest" of an individual whom the officer suspected was fleeing or forcibly resisting detention. The officer gave no warning that he was going to shoot The details of the case are as damning as the decision. 1. Still, an officer may have to undergo an internal investigation, like those performed by LAPD's Force Investigation Division, for pulling the trigger on an animal. The Supreme Court just ruled that a police officer could not be sued for gunning down Amy Hughes. At an approved range. To answer your specific question, if a suspect is simply fleeing the police but does not threaten anyone's safety (either the public or the officer), then deadly force cannot be used. Police are trained to stop dangerous, life-threatening or murderous behavior, Kelly said.