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It means the police officer has a choice. example: a police officer pulls you over for a minor traffic violation (not stopping at a stop sign) he has a choice of whether to give you a ticket or a warning (written or verbal). This is called discretion. Another example would be urinating in public, the officer uses his/her discretion on whether or not to make an arrest or just issue a ticket violation. Police don't have discretion in all circumstances. Law and departmental policy can limit or eliminate discretion. For example, if an officer witnesses a felony, law requires the officer arrest the suspect. And, departmental policy might require an officer issue citations for all seat belt violations.

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Q: What is police discretion?
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