What must a law enforcement officer prove to be granted qualified immunity in excessive force cases?

In excessive force cases, the determination of whether an officer is granted qualified immunity hinges on whether the force used was constitutional under the Fourth Amendment. To prove this, the officer must demonstrate that their actions were within the bounds of what the Constitution permits, particularly in relation to the context of the situation they were facing at the time.

Qualified immunity provides a shield for officers from civil liability for constitutional violations unless the violated right was "clearly established." Therefore, if an officer can convincingly argue that their use of force was constitutional, it often means they acted within the necessary legal frameworks, justifying their actions relative to the circumstances they encountered. This framework emphasizes that not all force is inherently unlawful; instead, the constitutional validity of the force used is central to determining the appropriateness of the officer’s conduct in a given situation.