Use of Force

A use of force (UOF) continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officers and civilians with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting subject in a given situation. The purpose of these models is to clarify, both for law enforcement officers and civilians, the complex subject of use of force. They are often central parts of law enforcement agencies’ use of force policies.

Lancaster’s Use of Force Continuum

1. Officer Presence
   Identification of authority
2. Verbal Direction
   Commands of direction or arrest
3. Soft Empty Hand Control
   Techniques that have a minimal probability of injury
4. Hard Empty Hand Control
   Techniques that have a high probability of injury
5. Intermediate Weapons
   Impact weapon strike
6. Deadly Force
   Deadly force actions

Employees shall use de-escalation strategies and other techniques or alternatives to force, consistent with their training, whenever possible and appropriate before resorting to force and to reduce the need for force, and / or the level of force.

The selection of de-escalation options should be guided by the totality of the circumstances with the goal of attaining voluntarily compliance.

Employees shall consider the following:

1. Communication – Using communication intended to gain voluntary compliance, such as verbal persuasions, establishing a rapport, advisements, and warnings prior to applying force.
2. Time – Attempt to slow down or stabilize the situation so that more time, options, and resources are available for incident resolution.
3. Distance – Evaluating whether the use of time, distance and positioning to create a buffer zone or create a reactionary gap will stabilize the situation.
4. Shielding – Utilizing cover and concealment for tactical advantage, such as placing barriers between an uncooperative person and officers, and / or using natural barriers in the immediate environment.

A “peace officer” (law enforcement officer as defined in Chapter 5 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code (18 Pa. C.S.A. §501)) shall only apply deadly force when reasonable and justified to effect lawful objectives in conformance to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, other Pennsylvania statutory provisions, and Pennsylvania and Federal Court decisions.

The Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Title 18, Chapter 5, Section 508, Subsection (a), relating to “The Use of Force in Law Enforcement,” provides for the lawful and justified application of deadly force by a police officer only when they believe that:

• The action is in defense of human life, including the officer’s own life, or in defense of any person in immediate danger of serious physical injury, or when they reasonably believe both that:
  • Such force is necessary to prevent the arrest from being defeated by resistance or escape, and;
  • The person to be arrested has committed or attempted a forcible felony or is attempting to escape and possesses a deadly weapon, or otherwise indicates that they will endanger human life or inflict serious bodily injury unless arrested without delay.
• Shoot to Stop
  • Officers will fire their weapons to stop and incapacitate an assailant from completing a potentially deadly act as described in police bureau policy.
  • For maximum stopping effectiveness and minimal danger to innocent bystanders, officers should shoot at “center body mass,” or the largest body mass exposed.

Every employee has the duty to intervene when the intervening employee reasonably believes that the force, action, or inaction occurring is inconsistent with police bureau policies, procedures, or their individual training; that criminal conduct is occurring; or when unconstitutional behavior is occurring.

The intervening employee shall then submit a written report to their supervisor, which documents the observed use of force, action, or inaction inconsistent with police bureau policies procedures, or training that constituted criminal conduct, or resulted in Constitutional violations. This report shall be forwarded to the Chief of Police, through the chain of command.