Which Supreme Court case established the standard for the use of deadly force by police?

The case that established the standard for the use of deadly force by police is Tennessee vs. Garner. This landmark decision, delivered in 1985, clarified the constitutional limits on the use of deadly force by law enforcement during the apprehension of a fleeing suspect. The Supreme Court ruled that the use of deadly force is unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment unless it's necessary to prevent the escape of a suspect who poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.

The ruling emphasized that not every fleeing suspect could be stopped with deadly force, reinforcing the need for law enforcement to evaluate the circumstances of each situation with regard to the potential threat posed by the individual in question. This case is crucial in framing the current understanding of police use of deadly force and serves as a guiding principle for law enforcement agencies across the country, helping to strike a balance between effective policing and the protection of civil rights.