Use of Force Flashcards
Graham Use of Force Factor
- Severity of the crime
- Was the subject an immediate threat to the safety of others and peace officers
- Did the subject actively resist arrest
- Did the subject attempt to evade arrest or seizure by flight
Principle of Force Justification
- If the force is justified, the implement, or delivery system used is of no significance
- Risk of injury to the threat should not deter lawful use of force. If the use of force is justified, the degree of injury the threat sustains is of no significance.
Presence
- Display of authority
- Body language or Demeanor
- Display of force options
Physical Contact
- Directional Hold
- Escort hold
Threat Assessment (3 Levels)
- Intent
- Means
- Opportunity
The Intent of use of force is to…
Gain compliance
Use of Force
DEADLY FORCE
Any force that, under the circumstances in which it is used, is readily capable of causing serious physical injury or death
Definition of a threat
Any person resisting arrest or resisting being lawfully controlled and/or demonstrating the intent, having the means and the opportunity to inflict injury.
Three elements of a threat
- Intent
- Means
- Opportunity
Levels of resistance
- Static - Refuses to comply/dead weight/balking
- Active - Physically resisting (pulling away) etc
- Ominous - Displaying menacing behavior, assault
- Lethal - Readily capable of causing serious physical injury or death
Totality of the Circumstances
- Escalation of force is based on the totality of the circumstances
- Totality of the circumstances determines the level of danger to the officer
Totality of Circumstances broken into two categories:
- Influential circumstances
2. Officer vs. Threat factors
What are influential circumstances of the totality of the circumstances?
- Threat’s close proximity to a weapon
- Injury or officer exhaustion
- Officer disability
- Previous experience
- Special knowledge
- Ground level
- Confinement
- Terrain
- Sudden attack
What are some officer vs threat factors in the totality of the circumstances?
- Officer’s age vs. threat’s age
- Officer’s sex vs. threat’s sex
- Officer size vs. threat size
- Multiple threats
- Threat’s mental state
- Threat’s skill level
What should you note when writing a Use of Force report
- Weather and lighting
- Pedestrian/vehicular traffic congestion or flow
- Availability of back-up
- Distance from the threat
