earticle

영어

The nature of police work inherently involves the potential infringement on individuals' basic rights. Among these, the use of physical force is one of the most direct means by which law enforcement officers restrict the physical freedom of a subject. Given the serious implications of such actions, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines to ensure that physical force is used appropriately, proportionally, and only when necessary. Recognizing the need for structured and standardized regulations, the National Police Agency implemented the "Rules on The Use of Police Physical Force" (National Police Agency Regulation No. 550) in November 2019. This set of regulations provides specific judgment and action criteria to guide officers in determining the appropriate level of force to be applied in various situations requiring physical intervention. The primary focus of the Rules on The Use of Police Physical Force is to establish a framework that ensures the use of force remains proportional to the subject’s actions. The regulations attempt to standardize police officers’ decision-making processes and define a rational state of mind as a constant factor when engaging in physical confrontations. However, this assumption does not always align with real-world scenarios. Police officers working in the field are frequently exposed to high-stress situations, including verbal confrontations with individuals who may be uncooperative or aggressive. Such interactions can provoke emotional reactions, increasing the likelihood of officers losing composure and potentially using excessive force beyond what is legally or ethically prescribed. In situations where an officer becomes agitated and risks overstepping the limits of justified physical force, the presence of fellow officers at the scene becomes critically important. In these moments, peer officers must not only focus on controlling the subject but also, if necessary, intervene to prevent their fellow officer from engaging in excessive or unlawful force. Recognizing the importance of peer intervention in preventing police misconduct, the National Police Agency introduced the Korean Human Rights-based Police Peer Intervention Program in 2002. This program aims to educate police officers on the importance of stepping in when they witness another officer engaging in inappropriate or excessive use of force. The goal is to prevent the continuation and escalation of such misconduct through immediate intervention. Despite the clear necessity of both the Rules on The Use of Police Physical Force and the Police Peer Intervention Program, these two initiatives are currently managed by separate departments within the National Police Agency. This administrative separation has resulted in distinct training processes for each program, rather than integrating them into a cohesive framework. One major consequence of this division is that officers may fail to recall or apply the principles of the Police Peer Intervention Program when encountering excessive force situations during actual law enforcement activities. Without a unified approach, officers may not feel empowered or obligated to intervene when witnessing inappropriate use of force by their colleagues. To address these concerns, a proposal has been made to improve the existing training programs and related regulations, including the Rules on The Use of Police Physical Force. This proposal seeks to create a more integrated training approach, allowing officers to recognize and respond effectively to misconduct, particularly when it involves excessive use of force. One key aspect of the proposal is to provide clear exemptions or reductions in responsibility for officers who intervene in good faith. By ensuring that officers who take action against misconduct are protected from potential disciplinary consequences, the proposal aims to foster a stronger culture of accountability and ethical policing. Additionally, this initiative seeks to cultivate an organizational environment where peer intervention is not only encouraged but also institutionalized as a standard operating procedure. Finally, based on the findings of this study, a qualitative study on the improvements and issues that may arise from explicitly specifying peer intervention in directives and regulations for current audit and inspection department employees is suggested as a future research direction.

한국어

경찰의 직무는 그 특성상 불가피하게 누군가의 기본권 등을 침입하는 성격을 지니고 있고, 특히 물리력 행사는 대상자의 신체를 직접적으로 제한한다. 이와 같은 직무상 특성에 따라 2019년 11월부터 시행된 경찰물리력 행사의 기준과 방법에 관한 규칙은 경찰물리력 필요 상황에서 활용할 수 있는 물리력의 정도에 대한 구체적 판단ㆍ행위 기준을 규정하고 있다. 현행 경찰물리력 행사의 기준과 방법에 관한 규칙의 내용은 대상자의 행동에 비례하는 물리력 행사 기준에 집중되어 있는데, 이때 물리력을 행사하는 경찰은 이성적 심리 상태를 상수로 두고 규정하고 있다. 하지만 일선 치안 현장 속 경찰은 대상자와의 언쟁 과정에서 충분히 흥분할 수 있는 상황에 노출되어 있고, 이는 경찰이 대상자에게 규정된 물리력보다 과다한 물리력을 사용할 위험과 연결될 수 있다. 이런 경우 현장에 함께 있는 동료 경찰은 대상자뿐만 아니라 함께 출동한 경찰을 상대로 통제 및 물리력 행사를 활용하여 흥분을 가라앉힐 필요가 있다. 이를 위해 경찰청은 2020년 부터 한국형 인권 기반 경찰 동료 개입 프로그램을 도입하여 경찰의 부당 행위가 발생하였을 때 이를 인지한 동료 경찰이 즉각 개입하여 부당 행위의 유지 및 악화를 사전 예방하는 교육을 시행하고 있다. 그러나 현재 경찰물리력 행사의 기준과 방법에 관한 규칙과 경찰 동료 개입 프로그램은 주관 부서가 다르다 는 이유로 교육을 포함한 각종 행정이 각각 별개로 진행되고 있어 경찰이 치안 활동 중 다른 경찰의 지나친 물리력 행사 상황을 조우하였을 때 동료 개입 프로그램을 떠올리지 못하는 문제점 등이 발생할 수 있다. 이에 기존의 동료 개입 프로그램 교육과 함께 경찰물리력 관련 예규 등에 선의로 개입한 동료 경찰에 대한 면책 또는 책임의 감경 등을 명시하는 개선안을 제시하였다.