Bill > HF538

This bill modifies Minnesota's law regarding when peace officers can use deadly force, specifically clarifying the circumstances under which such force is legally justified. The bill updates the existing statute to allow use of deadly force only when an objectively reasonable officer would believe, based on the circumstances known at the time, that such force is necessary to protect the officer or another person from death or great bodily harm. The key changes include adding the phrase "or perceived by" when describing the officer's knowledge and specifying that the threat must be articulated with specificity, reasonably likely to occur without intervention, and must be addressed through deadly force without unreasonable delay. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits using deadly force against a person solely based on the danger they pose to themselves, provided the officer believes the person does not pose a threat of death or great bodily harm to the officer or another person. This modification aims to provide clearer guidelines for law enforcement use of force, emphasizing the need for a reasonable and specific threat before employing deadly force.

Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0538&ssn=0&y=2025