What standard is applied to determine the reasonableness of deadly force?

The objective standard is applied to determine the reasonableness of deadly force. This standard evaluates the perceptions and actions of a reasonable person in the same circumstances as the individual involved in the use of deadly force. Under this framework, the focus is on whether a reasonable law enforcement officer, faced with similar threats, would deem the use of deadly force to be necessary and justified.

This approach takes into account various factors, such as the immediate threat to life or serious bodily harm, the context of the encounter, and the perception of the situation at that moment. This can help to establish whether the actions taken were appropriate based on what a reasonable person would believe or do under similar circumstances.

In comparison, other standards such as subjective, comparative, or situational may not adequately capture the universally accepted norms for assessing reasonableness in the context of deadly force. The subjective standard focuses on the personal view of the officer, which may vary widely in different situations. The comparative standard may not effectively assess the conduct in a manner that is consistent across different incidents. Lastly, the situational standard tends to be ambiguous and can lead to varying interpretations rather than a clear-cut evaluation grounded in a community or professional standard of reasonableness.