In all circumstances where Officers may be confronted with the use of force opportunity, Officers must assess the following:
A. Is the action worth the risk of injury?
B. Does the threat have the opportunity to comply with your commands or instructions?
C. Will the course of action accomplish the desired results?
D. Does the total state of the circumstances justify the actions?
- Handcuffs will be considered the standard restraining method for persons in custody resulting from an arrest.
- Officers will be expected to apply handcuffs per BSIS and OMNI standards in all incidents where they have arrested violent individuals
- Officers will not transport an arrested person in a vehicle.
- Supervisors will be responsible for the training of all Officers in these procedures.
- A. Officers will be held personally responsible for the treatment of any person under these sections, including the safety of the person, particularly any person being restrained by any method. All persons in the custody of OMNI Officers for any reason will be turned over to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.
- B. All actions under this section may require written justification. Officers will then file a Incident Report besides any other required report.
Level 2 - Verbal Commands
Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
Level 3 - Control Holds & Restraints
- Used in combination with a visible presence
- Can be whispered, used normally, or shouted to be effective. The content of the message is as important as your demeanor.
- Best to start out calm but firm and non-threatening
- Can be increased as necessary or used in short commands in serious situations
- Right combination of words in combination with officer presence can de-escalate a tense situation and prevent the need for a physical altercation
- Not all aggressive people respond to words alone
- This is the first level where hands-on contact is approved for defensive use
- Minimal use of bare hands to guide, hold, or restrain non compliant subjects resisting handcuffs.
- Batons can only be used at this level as blocking devices or to temporarily restrain a subject, if trained and licensed to carry.
- Handcuffs can be used as a restraint device.
- Not every suspect needs to be handcuffed.
- Should only be used on a person who exhibits physical aggression, poses a real threat or where flight is a real possibility.
Level 1 - Officer Presence
Level 4 - Chemical Agents
Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night,
and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
- Before moving to level four, it is assumed that other less physical measures had been tried or deemed inappropriate.
- Excellent distraction, allowing the security officer time to get away, call the police, or subdue the suspect.
- Assailant can still grab you, punch you, stab you, or shoot you
- Will definitely be angrier after being sprayed.
- May not be effective on the insane, drug addicts, intoxicated, or hysterical persons
Level 4 - Intermediate Weapons
Use of Force Levels
Procedures for Use of Force
Level 5 - Deadly Force
- Level 1 - Officer Presence
- Level 2 - Verbal Commands
- Level 3 - Control Holds & Restraints
- Level 4 - Chemical Weapons
- Level 5 - Intermediate Weapons
- Level 6 - Deadly Force
"...Killing is not the Way of mankind"
~Miyamoto Musashi, Book of Five Rings
- When you are in immediate fear of death or great bodily injury at the hands of a perpetrator
- Can be applied by your hands, impact tools, or with a firearm.
- Highest standard and MUST BE justified
- Force continuum will be considered in the aftermath as a test to see if other alternatives were used first or were more appropriate.
- Handguns should never be pulled and brandished as a deterrent or be used as a control tool under level 3.
Threat Assessment
- The term threat is used to describe any person capable of causing physical injury, serious physical injury, or death.
- Threat must possess the elements listed below, prior to the use of force:
A. The intent of the threat.
B. The means to carry out the threat.
C. The opportunity to commit the threat.
Policy
Justification for Use of Force
Overview
BSIS Regulations
Officers will familiarize themselves with BSIS statutes in relation to the use of force and this training on the Use of Force Matrix.
Use of force is allowed in the execution of an arrest, ONLY IF THE SUSPECT RESISTS OR TRIES TO ESCAPE. If a suspect resists arrest, you are allowed to use reasonable force to subdue the suspect.
Reasonable force is that degree of force that is not excessive and is appropriate in protecting oneself or one’s property.
Security Officer should never touch another person except when
reasonable force is necessary when placing that person under citizen’s arrest or in self defense.
REMINDER: YOU DO NOT HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ARREST.
Few issues have the potential for more controversy and the generation of negative community relations than those surrounding allegations of excessive force or brutality.
Use of force incidents can either legitimize the mission or they can erode it.
The client's trust in your ability as a security officer will depend on your ability to properly implement the use of force.
Use of Handcuffs
Purpose
References
Butler. Calgary Police Service , C. (n.d.). The Use of Force Model and its Application to Operational Law Enforcement – Where have we been and where are we going? Retrieved February 15, 2020, from http://www.cacole.ca/resource library/conferences/2009 Conference/Chris Butler.pdf
Constitutional Rights Foundation. (n.d.). Police and the Use of Force. Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://www.crf-usa.org/images/pdf/PoliceandtheUseofForce.pdf
Jackson, E. (n.d.). Sun Tzu's 31 Best Pieces Of Leadership Advice. Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2014/05/23/sun-tzus-33-best-pieces-of-leadership-advice/#c860105e5efb
McGoey, C. (2018, December 13). Security Guard Force Continuum - Avoid Excessive Use of Force Claims. Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://crimedoctor.com/security-guard-force-continuum/
Miyamoto, M., & Yoshiharu, A. (2014). The book of five rings: the classic text of samurai sword strategy. (R. Brant, Trans.). New York: Fall River Press.
Morton, J. (2012, November 30). Use of Force Policies and You. Retrieved from https://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/14947/title/use-of-force-policies-and-you/viewall/true
Public Safety Office, Portland State University. (n.d.). USE OF FORCE MATRIX. Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://www.pdx.edu/sites/www.pdx.edu.cpso/files/media_assets/CPSO_force.pdf
Tzu, S., Griffith, S. B., & Hart, B. H. L. (1971). The art of war. London, Oxford, N.Y.: Oxford Univ. Press.
To establish a company philosophy and policy regarding the use of force for dealing with resistive and combative subjects, while minimizing risk of physical injury to officer, staff and others.
Use of Force Matrix