In the New York Daily News on Aug. 23, 2014, John Paolucci, a retired detective sergeant from the New York Police Department, wrote a commentary defending the use of police force. In the article, Paolucci emphasized a point that many civilians tend to overlook: street cops constantly find themselves in positions where they are fighting for their lives.

With the recent events that have taken place in Ferguson, as well as the recurring use of the banned choke hold in New York, the use of police force has come into question. Is it alright for police officers to use force against civilians in a society that values “innocence until proven guilty?” For many, the answer is no.

However, the voices shouting no to police force are the voices of the people that have likely never fought for their lives. The voices screaming out about the injustice of police force are unaware of the near constant danger that police officers face.

If these police officers are attacked, are they supposed to give in? Are they not allowed to fight for their lives? Or what if a suspect begins to flee from the scene? Should the police officer let the suspect run, or should the officer prevent the suspect from escaping?

In his article, Paolucci detailed an event where, upon a suspect resisting arrest, he fought the suspect and ended up having him face down on the concrete.. The suspect said he couldn’t breathe, and so Paolucci released the pressure on the suspect’s back. As a result, the suspect escaped Paolucci’s hold and not only cracked Paolucci’s jaw but also began to flee the scene, getting a head start on Paolucci.

While this incident did result in the successful arrest of the suspect, it is essential to emphasize that the suspect attacked and injured Paolucci. This isn’t the only time Paolucci was injured by a resisting suspect – during another arrest, he sustained three herniated cervical discs and, to this day, suffers pain from the injury.

Police officers use force because they feel they have to, not because they want to. Although police departments are not infallible, with the occasional unjustified use of force or violence, it is almost cruel to expect police officers to not use force when their lives are in danger.

A suspect does not need to be armed to be dangerous. If a police officer were to lose a fight against a suspect, the suspect would then be in possession of not only the police officer’s weapon, but also the officer’s police car – this puts not only the life of the police officer in danger but also puts the safety of the entire community at risk. Police officers work to keep civilians safe – without the use of police force, there is a heightened chance that police officers will lose the confrontations they face. The voices of the people calling out for an end to police force are putting not only the lives of police officers at stake,but also their own lives.

Police work is a dangerous field, and prohibiting officers from using force simply makes it more dangerous. The only way to ensure a successful arrest and the safety of the officers is to permit police officers to use force in times when they feel as if they have no other option.