USE OF FORCE
Policy Index:
• Definitions
• Reasonable Uses of Force
• Prohibited Uses of Force
• Reporting Methods
Definitions:
A. Use of Force
Any implantation of physical techniques, tools, or other means to defend, restrain, overcome, or gain physical control of an individual.
B. Excessive Force
Situations in which more force is used than is allowed when judged in terms of administrative or professional guidelines or legal standards. This term also includes, illegal force. (Dunham, R. G., & Alpert, G. P. (2015))
C. Excessive Use of Force
Refers to the high rates of force, which suggest that the police are using force too freely when viewed in the aggregate. (Dunham, R. G., & Alpert, G. P. (2015))
Reasonable Uses of Force:
A. Officers may …show more content…
The actions/attempts made by the individual(s) to actively resist or evade arrest.
D. Officers must be able to provide a detailed and reasonable explanation for any factors used to justify their use of force.
E. Immediately following control of the unruly individual, the use of additional force must stop, unless the situation escalates to where the law enforcement officer/law-abiding individuals’ lives are physically threatened.
F. Under the right circumstances, should an officer try every method to deescalate the incident before using any type of force. Force shall be the last method used, and must be avoidable unless life and liberty are threatened/in danger.
G. If force is to be used during an incident, EMS, and other needed agencies, must be called to the incident immediately.
Prohibited Uses of Force:
A. A law enforcement officer is not justified in the use of deadly force to protect him/her self or others from assaults that are not likely to result in death or serious bodily injury.
B. Officers must never open fire upon any mobile vehicles under any circumstances. If needed, a law enforcement officer must be requested with spike-strips to neutralize the mobile …show more content…
Law enforcement officers must not place themselves in any position to immediately expose themselves to the immediate threat of loss of life/serious bodily injury.
F. A law enforcement officer may not discharge their weapon for “warning shots” or for reckless intent.
Reporting Methods:
A. All law enforcement officers must immediately notify an equal, or higher, ranking on-duty supervisor as soon as practical when a use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force incident occurs. In all cases, officers must notify an equal, or higher, ranking on-duty supervisor prior to leaving the scene when use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force is used in an incident, unless it the scene and/or officer is unsafe to do so.
B. On-duty supervisors who receive a notification from another officer of a use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force incident must immediately respond to the scene to ensure that all values set forth in this policy are adhered to.
C. When the on-duty supervisor arrives, a report must be completed with information pertaining to, but not limited to:
The jurisdiction(s) the incident occurred
All circumstances that led up to, during, and after the incident
The amount and type of legal force used during the
Policy Index:
• Definitions
• Reasonable Uses of Force
• Prohibited Uses of Force
• Reporting Methods
Definitions:
A. Use of Force
Any implantation of physical techniques, tools, or other means to defend, restrain, overcome, or gain physical control of an individual.
B. Excessive Force
Situations in which more force is used than is allowed when judged in terms of administrative or professional guidelines or legal standards. This term also includes, illegal force. (Dunham, R. G., & Alpert, G. P. (2015))
C. Excessive Use of Force
Refers to the high rates of force, which suggest that the police are using force too freely when viewed in the aggregate. (Dunham, R. G., & Alpert, G. P. (2015))
Reasonable Uses of Force:
A. Officers may …show more content…
The actions/attempts made by the individual(s) to actively resist or evade arrest.
D. Officers must be able to provide a detailed and reasonable explanation for any factors used to justify their use of force.
E. Immediately following control of the unruly individual, the use of additional force must stop, unless the situation escalates to where the law enforcement officer/law-abiding individuals’ lives are physically threatened.
F. Under the right circumstances, should an officer try every method to deescalate the incident before using any type of force. Force shall be the last method used, and must be avoidable unless life and liberty are threatened/in danger.
G. If force is to be used during an incident, EMS, and other needed agencies, must be called to the incident immediately.
Prohibited Uses of Force:
A. A law enforcement officer is not justified in the use of deadly force to protect him/her self or others from assaults that are not likely to result in death or serious bodily injury.
B. Officers must never open fire upon any mobile vehicles under any circumstances. If needed, a law enforcement officer must be requested with spike-strips to neutralize the mobile …show more content…
Law enforcement officers must not place themselves in any position to immediately expose themselves to the immediate threat of loss of life/serious bodily injury.
F. A law enforcement officer may not discharge their weapon for “warning shots” or for reckless intent.
Reporting Methods:
A. All law enforcement officers must immediately notify an equal, or higher, ranking on-duty supervisor as soon as practical when a use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force incident occurs. In all cases, officers must notify an equal, or higher, ranking on-duty supervisor prior to leaving the scene when use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force is used in an incident, unless it the scene and/or officer is unsafe to do so.
B. On-duty supervisors who receive a notification from another officer of a use of excessive force and/or excessive use of force incident must immediately respond to the scene to ensure that all values set forth in this policy are adhered to.
C. When the on-duty supervisor arrives, a report must be completed with information pertaining to, but not limited to:
The jurisdiction(s) the incident occurred
All circumstances that led up to, during, and after the incident
The amount and type of legal force used during the