Member

Applying the criminal law test would further erode police accountability in an environment where police use of force is already too rarely scrutinised. As recognised by the Supreme Court, it is important for public trust and confidence that citizens do not feel that unreasonable mistakes made by the police are left unchecked or that the police are not held accountable for such mistakes. Public trust in policing has declined in recent years. Diluting accountability, by allowing officers to rely on unreasonable stakes, would only deepen that crisis.