The amount of force permitted by an officer is in direct relation to the amount of force a suspect is using, called a “use-of-force continuum.” Since 1995 the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has been conducting research in conjunction with the Department of Justice on use-of-force incidents. The use of force versus excessive use of force has impacted every police department in the U.S. According to the IACP, National Use of Force Database Project, findings suggest that excessive use of force is very low. Of the 147,000 incidents, from 320 departments, reported to the IACP from 1994 to 1998, 6,163 use of force incidents were reported by civilians, only 654 were sustained as alleged. It must be taken into account that the IACP data was obtained by police with potential for incomplete data. Part of the problem with excessive use of force is identified as officers not knowing the category of force that the suspect is in, what level of resistance is being used and how to use an appropriate level of force. Police departments are recommended to know their penal code and chose a training program that they can stick to and be consistent with. Training should consist of, but not limited to, communication skills and verbal techniques and stress management. It is believed that if less-lethal devices were more prevalent, more accessible, and there was more training, there would be more flexibility in trying other means or resolutions than bullets to de-escalate a situation. If officers are not given direction through training, they will self-direct.