600-17 Use of Force Flashcards
Employees are authorized by law to
use force to protect themselves or others, to effect an arrest, or to maintain custody of those arrested.
When dealing with
members of the community, suspects, or prisoners
When dealing with members of the community, suspects, or prisoners, employees must use
only the amount of force reasonably necessary to protect themselves or others, to effect an arrest, or to bring an incident under control, even if under the circumstances the law would allow the use of greater force.
Deadly Force
Force intended or known to cause or in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury
Force
Force is meant to describe actions taken to compel a person to comply with law enforcement objectives
Involved Officer
An officer (regardless of rank) who used reportable force
On-Duty Supervisor
For purposes of this General Order, an on-duty supervisor is one that is on duty and who did not use reportable force
Reportable force (RF)
Reportable force (RF) is force that requires specific notification and documentation of the RF incident.
Use of force must be
objectively reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances.
It is the duty of all employees to
constantly assess the situation and adjust the use of force accordingly.
Employees who use force against any person must
detail the specific reasons for using such force.
Officers shall not display any intermediate weapon or firearm
in an unprofessional or unsafe manner.
Anytime an employee uses reportable force, whether on duty, off duty, or at extra employment, a supervisor
must be notified as set forth herein.
Any employee present and observing another employee using force that is beyond that which is reasonable under the circumstances shall
when in a position to do so, safely intercede to prevent the use of such force. Employees shall immediately report these observations to an on-duty supervisor.
Reportable force (RF) does not include
mere police presence, including the presence of a K-9, verbal commands, handcuffing, or escorting without resistance, or when an OC device is pointed at a person.
Reportable force includes, but is not limited to
Empty hand tactics, Baton when a person is struck, OC spray (intentional or accidental), Conducted energy device (intentionally discharged and directed at a person or , accidental, or pointed at a person), Soft-impact weapon (except when the discharge is directed toward an animal and does not result in bodily injury to a person), Firearm ((except when the discharge is directed toward an animal and does not result in bodily injury to a person), K-9 with bites, Interlocking
Before carrying or using any intermediate weapon, an officer must be
currently certified with the intermediate weapon by the Training Division
The Training Division is responsible for
maintaining a list of approved intermediate weapons and carrying devices.
Intermediate weapons shall be
carried or used as issued or authorized by the department.
Officers shall always carry a baton when
Responding to disturbance calls or working an event where there are a large number of persons.
Supervisors responding to situations requiring a baton are responsible for
ensuring each officer at the scene complies with this policy.
Unless deadly force is warranted, baton strikes shall be made only
to areas of the body below the shoulders and only with the degree of force necessary to counter resistance or establish control of the suspect.
Uniformed officers carrying OC shall
store the canisters on their duty belts in an appropriate case
On each shift, soft-impact weapons shall be
assigned to, and stored in, designated patrol sergeants’ vehicles.
As part of their daily vehicle inspection, the patrol sergeants shall inspect the soft-impact weapon for
damage.
An officer ____ check out a soft impact weapon if there is one available. Those officers that choose to check out a soft-impact weapon _____ notify the dispatcher at the beginning of their shift.
may, shall
If the sergeant or officer observes any new damage, missing parts, or defective equipment, the sergeant or officer, as applicable, shall
notify his supervisor before signing on duty.
Unless deadly force is warranted, officers shall not target soft-impact weapons for
munition impacts above a person’s shoulders.
Officers in specialized divisions needing a soft-impact weapon shall coordinate with
an appropriate district patrol sergeant.
When a division is assigned soft-impact weapons, the _______ is responsible for ensuring the weapons are properly maintained at all times.
division commander
The use of deadly force shall be limited to
those circumstances in which officers reasonably believe it is necessary to protect themselves or others from the imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death.
As it pertains to DEADLY FORCE: Officers shall consider
their immediate surroundings and the safety of un-involved persons before using deadly force.
As it pertains to DEADLY FORCE: Officers shall not justify the use of deadly force by
intentionally placing themselves in imminent danger.
Officers are prohibited from using firearms in the following ways
Firing warning shots
Firing at fleeing suspects who do not represent an imminent threat to the life of the officer or another person
Firing at suspects whose actions are a threat to only themselves (e.g., attempted suicide)
When confronted with a potential suspect in a moving vehicle, officers must be
mindful of any available cover and concealment.
As it pertains to a MOVING OR FLEEING VEHICLE: Moving to a position of tactical advantage ______ officer safety and _______ the need to use deadly force.
maximizes, minimizes
Accordingly, officers shall not discharge a firearm or soft-impact weapon at a moving vehicle unless
a person in the vehicle is immediately threatening the officer or any other person with serious bodily injury or death by means other than the vehicle itself.
An officer in the path of an approaching vehicle shall
attempt to move to a position of safety rather than discharging a firearm or soft-impact weapon at the vehicle or any of the vehicle’s occupants
An on-duty supervisor is not required to respond to the scene in the following circumstances:
Pointing/Empty Hand Exception (this is when RF solely involves an officer),
Extra Employment Exception
Outside City of Houston (COH) Exception
Pointing/Empty Hand Exception
Pointing a CED, soft-impact weapon
and/or
firearm at a single person or multiple persons
and/or
Using empty hand tactics and all of the following apply:
There is no visible injury
The person does not lose consciousness
The person does not complain of any bodily injury
Extra Employment Exception
A Houston Police Department supervisor is working extra employment at the same location
The involved officer immediately notifies that supervisor
That supervisor did not use reportable force
The reportable force does not involve the discharge of a firearm or soft-impact weapon, or result in serious bodily injury to any person
Outside City of Houston (COH) Exception
This when an RF incident does not fall within the previous exceptions yet both (Extra Employment and Pointing/Empty Hand Tech Exceptions) of the following apply
The RF occurs outside the city of Houston
A classified supervisor in the Crime Analysis and Command Center has determined that an on-duty supervisor does not have to respond to the scene after giving consideration to the proximity of the reportable force incident to the city of Houston and severity of injury.
an on-duty supervisor is _____ required to respond when interlocking is used
always
_______ an involved officer uses reportable force (RF) whether on duty or off duty including during extra employment, an on duty supervisor shall be______ as set forth below
Anytime, notified
_____ an involved officer uses RF, whether on duty or off duty including during extra employment, the involved officer shall_______request medical personnel to the scene
Anytime, immediately
Inside the City of Houston, Off Duty Including Extra Employment:
If an RF occurs inside the city of Houston when the involved officer is off duty including extra employment, the involved officer shall immediately notify the ______ unless the ________ exception applies.
Emergency Communications Division (ECD) dispatcher or the Command Center, extra employment
Inside the City of Houston, Off Duty Including Extra Employment:
If the Pointing/Empty Hand exception applies, in addition to notifying the ECD dispatcher or Command Center, the involved officer shall
as soon as possible notify an on-duty supervisor at the division where the involved officer is assigned.
As it pertains to the USE OF FORCE General Order: “As soon as possible’ means
at the earliest time during the operational hours of the involved officer’s division when an on-duty supervisor is working.
Outside the City of Houston, Off Duty Including Extra Employment:
If the RF occurs outside the city of Houston when the involved officer is off duty including extra employment, the involved officer shall immediately do both of the following:
Contact the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction
Notify the Command Center of the RF incident
Outside the City of Houston, Off Duty Including Extra Employment:
When the Extra Employment exception applies, the_______ does not have to be notified;
Command Center
Outside the City of Houston, Off Duty Including Extra Employment:
When the Pointing/Empty Hand or Outside COH exception applies, the involved officer shall
as soon as possible notify an on-duty supervisor at the division where the involved officer is assigned
Read ECD Responsibilities
Section: Notification of RF
The supervisor who responds to the scene shall
first check to see if anyone is injured and shall ensure the injured are treated.
The supervisor shall immediately contact the Command Center when anyone of the following occurs:
A firearm is discharged
A soft-impact weapon is discharged
A CEO is discharged
A person sustains serious bodily injury
In addition to the notification requirements set forth above, anytime the on-scene investigation reveals violations of department policy regarding the use of force, the supervisor shall contact the ________ and speak with an ______ for direction. However, if it is after hours, the supervisor shall contact the ________.
Internal Affairs Division (lAD), lAD lieutenant; Command Center
Read Command Center’s Responsibilities
Section: Notification of RF
“….Each involved officer that uses RF shall do all of the following….”
Complete an original or supplement incident report, as applicable
Complete the Use of Force form
Thoroughly document the suspect’s actions and the officer’s response (See also “Details Within the Incident Report” later in this subsection).
Read and Understand: Pointed Weapons Exception to Completing an Incident Report and Use of Force Form:
Section 10: DOCUMENTATION OF REPORTABLE FORCE
If an RF occurs when the involved officer is on duty, the incident report and Use of Force form shall be completed
prior to the end of the involved officer’s shift.
If an RF occurs when the involved officer is off duty including during extra employment, the involved officer shall do one of the following:
Immediately complete an incident report and Use of Force form
Immediately provide the requisite information to the department by any method approved by the department so that an incident report and Use of Force form can be completed immediately. When the involved officer provides the requisite information using this option, at the first opportunity upon returning to duty the involved officer shall review the incident report and Use of Force form and make any necessary corrections.
Incident reports involving RF shall contain the following information:
The name and employee numbers of (All employees on the scene at any time during the use of force incident, on-duty supervisor who responded to the RF incident or the on-duty supervisor who was notified when an on-scene response is not required, the supervisor in the lockup or detention facility where the prisoner was booked)
The unit number of responding medical personnel, if applicable
The employee’s specific reasons for using force.
The part of the person’s body receiving the strike, hit, spray, or injury
Location on the person’s body of any known injury, even if the injury was not obtained as part of the incident
Any other pertinent information related to any offense committed.
In an event that necessitates the use of force by more than one officer on a single suspect, each officer who used force shall write his own supplement report to the primary officer’s original incident report unless the _______ exception applies.
Pointed Weapon
In an event that necessitates the use of force by more than one officer on a single suspect, each officer who used force shall write his own supplement report to the primary officer’s original incident report to include the following:
The specific reason(s) for using force as described directly above in item “k.”
The part of the person’s body receiving the force.
When an on-duty supervisor is notified and required to respond to an RF incident as provided herein, the on-duty supervisor shall do all of the following:
Review each involved officer’s incident and/or supplement report
Review all applicable Use of Force form(s)
Complete a supplement to the original incident report
Complete the Use of Force After-Action Report
If an on-duty supervisor is not required to make the scene of an RF incident as specifically provided in this General Order
(i.e., the Pointing/Empty Hand, Extra Employment, or Outside COH exception applies) yet an on-duty supervisor does respond to the scene, the on-duty supervisor is ______ to complete a supplement to the original incident report.
not required
When an on-duty supervisor is notified of RF that falls within the Pointing/Empty Hand exception or Outside COH exception, the on-duty supervisor that is notified by the involved officer shall do all of the following:
Review each involved officer’s incident and/or
supplement report
Review all applicable Use of Force form(s)
Complete the Use of Force After-Action Report.
The review and documentation requirements under the “Supervisor’s Responsibilities” subsection are not the responsibility of the on-duty supervisor assigned to the Command Center, but are the responsibility of ________
any other on-duty supervisor notified of the RF
When the Extra Employment exception applies, the Houston Police Department supervisor who is working extra employment with the involved officer and who is notified of the RF shall do all of the following:
Review each involved officer’s incident and/or supplement report
Review all applicable Use of Force form(s)
Complete the Use of Force After-Action Report
Complete a supplement to the original incident report.
However, a supplement report does not have to completed by the supervisor if the RF solely involves:
The involved officer pOinting a CEO, soft-impact weapon, and/or firearm at a single person or multiple persons and/or
The involved officer using empty hand tactics when any of the following apply:
a) There is no visible injury
b) The person does not lose consciousness
c) The person does not complain of any bodily injury
Supervisor’s supplements shall include, but are not limited to
whether or not the suspect has sustained any visible injuries
the identity of such injuries
injuries complained of by the suspect that are not visible
AND
whether or not the suspect refused medical transport
Within _______ after an RF incident, the supervisor, as indicated in the “Supervisor’s Responsibilities” subsection, shall
five calendar days
Within five calendar days after an RF incident, the supervisor, as indicated in the “Supervisor’s Responsibilities” subsection, shall
Review the incident report and Use of Force form to ensure the incident was properly documented and in compliance with department policy
Complete the Use of Force After-Action Report
The lieutenant and captain of the supervisor who completed a Use of Force After-Action Report shall complete a review of the After Action Report within _______ after the time of receipt.
five calendar days
Officers shall notify an on-duty jail supervisor or on-duty supervisor at the police station lockup facility, whichever is applicable, before booking a prisoner who has been:
injured, struck, hit, or sprayed by any weapon or other form of force causing bodily injury
Such prisoners shall not be booked into any City jail or police station lockup facility unless ______.
approved by that supervisor
