If a peace officer uses excessive force, what legal principle could be involved?

In the context of law enforcement, if a peace officer uses excessive force, negligence can be a central legal principle that comes into play. Negligence refers to the failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances. When a peace officer applies more force than necessary to handle a situation, it can be seen as a breach of their duty to act reasonably and protect individuals' rights, leading to potential civil liability.

The principles of lawful authority and justifiable defense focus more on the legitimacy of the officer's actions as related to their role and the context of the confrontation, while self-defense pertains specifically to an individual attempting to protect themselves from immediate harm. In cases of excessive force, the question typically arises around whether the use of force was proportional and reasonable under the specific circumstances, thus establishing a potential claim of negligence against the officer for not adhering to appropriate standards of conduct.