Police discretion is when an officer “has a choice over how to respond to a specific problem or situation” (Grant & Terry, 2012, Chapter 5). Most of the time, law or police procedure dictate how an officer acts or reacts to incidents, but sometimes, when not clear, it is up to the officer to make a decision for course of action. According to Grant & Terry (2012), “police discretion is an essential aspect of policing because individual officers are required to deal with a vast range of problems and situations, many of which are not precisely regulated by law” (Chapter 5). These decisions made by police officers are things such as whether to arrest someone, to pull someone over, and how to react in certain situations.
There are a few factors that affect officer discretion. One is the type and seriousness of the offense. Police are more likely to make an arrest for more serious offenses rather than simple, misdemeanor crimes. They also take into consideration if a weapon was used in the offense, if there was property damage and what that type of property is, and also if there is probable cause to make an arrest. Another factor that is taken into consideration during police discretion is the attitude of the suspect. “How a person reacts to being stopped and questioned, can have a significant effect on an officer’s decision to arrest” (Grant & Terry, 2012, Chapter 5). Someone who shows disrespect for an officer is more likely to be arrested that someone who is calm and cooperative. This is called “COC” or contempt of cop, and is basically along the same lines as someone who is held in contempt of court by “representing challenge to the position and authority of the police officer (Grant & Terry, 2012, Chapter 5). This is also a big factor in whether a police uses force. The next factor is the characteristics of the victim. If a victim states that they do not want the offender arrested, it is something that the police take into consideration. Also, if the victim is...