🔫Use of Force

Use of Force

Understanding a level of force is one of the most important day to day duties in being an officer. Having an understanding of this can save lives and make sure you are safe while being on patrol. It's important to note that you do not just open fire and cause a civilian casualty, you need to understand the escalation of force and realize the best weapon in your arsenal is your voice and intelligence.

Force Level 1

Suspect may be verbally assaulting you or others

Suspects starts to show aggression in his tone of speaking

Suspect may be taunting you or using foul language

Officer’s Actions

At this time, you are not authorized to use any physical means of force at all. You may issue verbal warnings to attempt to calm the suspect.

Force Level 2

Suspect has committed a crime

Suspect is starting to hint at violent actions

Suspect is disobeying direct orders from a LEO

Suspect is starting to make aggressive movements with his body

Suspect may seem to be preparing for a physical engagement

Suspect is increasingly getting worse with his aggression in his tone against you or others at the scene.

Officer Actions

At this point you are not authorized to use any secondary equipment. Call for Assistance (78s) over the radio and move to a hands on approach of trying to escort the person from the situation or away from potential victims using voice commands and light gestures.

Force‌ ‌Level‌ ‌3‌

Suspect‌ ‌has‌ ‌committed‌ ‌a‌ ‌crime‌ ‌

Suspect‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌using‌ ‌physical‌ ‌contact‌ ‌against‌ ‌you‌ ‌or‌ ‌another‌ ‌person‌ ‌

Suspect‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌using‌ ‌a‌ ‌non-lethal‌ ‌weapon‌ ‌on‌ ‌you‌ ‌or‌ ‌another‌ ‌person‌ ‌

Suspect‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌threatening‌ ‌yours‌ ‌or‌ ‌another‌ ‌persons‌ ‌life‌ ‌

Suspect‌ ‌is‌ ‌actively‌ ‌involved‌ ‌in‌ ‌any‌ ‌physical‌ ‌fight

Officer Actions

You are only allowed to use a TASER or a NIGHTSTICK to stun the suspect. You are to call for assistance over the radio. Under no circumstances should you draw your firearm UNLESS THE SITUATION REACHES FORCE LEVEL 4.

Force‌ ‌Level‌ ‌4

Suspect has or is committing a felony crime Suspect is brandishing a firearm

Suspect is assaulting another person with a vehicle

Suspect has placed your life or another persons life in danger

Suspect is seriously assaulting another person.

Suspect is brandishing a Katana / Sword

Officer Actions

At this current time, the suspect is now considered a threat to another life. You must call for Code 3 backup over the radio. You may draw your firearm and take aim on the suspect. You MAY NOT fire unless the FORCE LEVEL 5 is reached. YOU ARE ALSO NEVER TO TAZE A SUSPECT WHO IS AIMING A LETHAL AT YOU. Katanas Are Legal to carry on your back “sheathed” but brandishing the Katana is a crime. Brandishing is the act of having the sword off your back “unsheathed” and in your hand.

Force‌ ‌Level‌ ‌5

Suspect has a hostage and is refusing to cooperate

Suspect HAS a firearm and is aiming at you or another person

Suspect is firing a firearm at you or another person

Suspect is in a vehicle and attempting to hit you or another person

Suspect is in the act of seriously assaulting you or another person

Suspect has stolen or attempted to steal a Police / Government Vehicle.

Suspect has placed an officer in cuffs.

Officer Actions

This is to be considered the worst level of force and should be avoided at all cost! IF this occurs, you are authorized to use deadly force. At this point you are allowed to open fire at the suspect and shoot to kill. You may shoot the tires of an additional vehicle trying to pick up a fleeing suspect or interfering with you if it is safe to do so. You should always radio in for Code 3 assistance over the radio. Tires of vehicles should be shot out with lethal weapons ONLY. No tasers should be used to pop tires. ONLY SHOOT FOR TIRES IF YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU WILL HIT TIRES. If a suspect has stolen a Police / Government Vehicle you are authorized to use lethal force the instant they enter that vehicle and shoot to kill.

Taser Protocol

A taser must never be used in response to a suspect presenting a lethal weapon. When chasing a suspect, DO NOT automatically taze the suspect. Make verbal commands to attempt to stop the suspect and attempt to tackle a suspect first! There are times where suspects will not listen and will ignore commands. They will also continue to run after being tackled. At this point, you should deploy the use of your taser.

A Suspect should only be tazed a maximum of three times!

Once the first successful taser is deployed and the suspect is on the ground, advise them they should surrender and put their hands up when they are able to get back up from the taze.

If the suspect gets up and doesn’t listen still, tase them a second time and repeat the instructions used in the first taze. Give it around 5 - 10 seconds before tasing.

IF the suspect then ignores the first 2 tasers and commands, tackles, etc. you will then be allowed to taze them a third time. At this point, you will be allowed to cuff the suspect while they are on the ground!

If the suspect resists your soft cuff, you will have to switch to your nightstick / flashlight to stun them until the comply or are incapacitated.

IF after three taser deployments on the suspect are still unsuccessful and they are resisting handcuffs, you are authorized to switch to an impact weapon (Nightstick/Flashlight) to gain compliance.

DO NOT TASE SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE WATER OR WET FROM BEING IN THE WATER. DO NOT SHOOT OUT TIRES WITH TASERS. DO NOT TASE SOMEONE WHO IS ON A LADDER OR ON THE EDGE OF A ROOF.

IF SOMEONE IS TASED, YOU ARE TO ASK THEM IF THEY NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TAKE THEM TO PILLBOX MEDICAL AND TO HAVE THEM TREATED BY THE MEDICAL TEAM. THE SUSPECT CAN REFUSE MEDICAL TREATMENT BUT MAKE SURE TO NOTE THIS.

Lethal Force Protocol

Only‌‌ lethal force at or above force level 4. Only use if the suspect has done or is committing a felony crime, suspect is brandishing a firearm, suspect is assaulting another person with a vehicle or deadly weapon, suspect has placed your life or another person’s life in danger, or suspect is seriously assaulting another person. Lethal force is automatically authorized if someone is breaking into a police vehicle/has entered a police vehicle unauthorized or pouring gasoline on a vehicle. Reference the Use of Force. Fleeing Felon Rule

The Fleeing Felon Rule states that Lethal force may not be used unless necessary to prevent the escape of a felon and the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others. “A police officer may not seize an unarmed, non dangerous suspect by shooting him dead...however...Where the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a threat of serious physical harm, either to the officer or to others, it is not constitutionally unreasonable to prevent escape by using deadly force.” - Justice Byron White, Tennessee v. Garner Fleeing Felons may be followed into places not open to the public without a warrant if the officer is in “hot pursuit” Hot pursuit is an exigent circumstance that allows police to arrest a criminal suspect on private property without a warrant. A hot pursuit is usually a fresh or ongoing chase where the officer has not lost sight of the suspect whilst they are entering private property. With the Fleeing Felon Rule in mind whilst on a foot pursuit with an armed suspect you are to do the following. Ask them to put their gun away, wait 3 seconds, Instruct them to put their gun away or they will be fired upon. Wait 3 seconds - Open fire on the suspect as they clearly show no intent of putting their gun away, showing their intent to potentially use it to cause harm to the public or officers. (3 Seconds is just a recommendation, you can use your own count as long as you do not instantly shoot down someone) CLASS 2 Protocol

Class II firearms (PD issued smg) may be used under the following circumstances (officer must be certified with a class II):

Suspect(s) is brandishing a class II firearm;

Major crime incidents (Pacific Standard, Yacht, Paleto Bank, Humane Labs, several shots fired in a given area);

Scenes involving numerous casualties of civilians;

The downing of one or more officers;

Officer(s) on-scene is outnumbered;

An officer is currently being held hostage at the scene;

Presence of a wanted subject with either: A) numerous warrants or B) serious/violent offenses (i.e. Robbery 1st Degree, Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Terrorism, etc.)

Class 2 Certifications are for Officer + and must be trained by a Command+ Class 2’s May also be used in response to a Government Vehicle being stolen.

Motorcycle protocol Should you be responding to an active call and the suspect has a motorcycle staged nearby, be careful and check your surroundings. You are NOT authorized to shoot the back tire out of the motorcycle with a lethal OR taser. This could cause injury to the rider and other bystanders. Instead, you ARE authorized to aim for the rider of the motorcycle and tase the suspect of the motorcycle. These actions are only allowed if the suspect has first got on the bike and/or is traveling at SLOW speeds i.e less than 5-10mph. If the suspect flees on the motorcycle at high speed DO NOT attempt to tase the suspect of the motorcycle, again, this could cause injury to both rider and bystanders.