Responsibilities of Department Members Using Force
In all cases in which Department members use reportable force, they shall make a verbal notification to the responding supervisor (with a minimum rank of sergeant) as soon as safely possible. Unless otherwise specifically directed by the watch commander/supervising lieutenant, the Department member shall complete a written force report of the force incident prior to the Department member going off duty.
For Pointed Firearm at Person (PFP) incidents, Department members will verbally notify their supervisor as soon and as safely, possible. Unless otherwise specifically directed by the watch commander/supervising lieutenant, Department members shall complete an electronic Pointed Firearm at Person (PFP) report prior to the member going off duty. Department members are not required to complete the narrative portion of the electronic PFP report if the Department member is also completing an Incident Report (SH-R-49) or a supplemental report that will include a thorough description of the PFP incident. In these circumstances, Department members are to cross-reference the Incident Report (SH-R-49) or supplemental report by recording only the URN in the narrative portion of the PFP report.
Each assisting Department member who used force, including partners, shall submit a separate supplementary report detailing their actions and observations prior to the Department member going off duty. To the extent practical, Department members should be separated until they have completed their use of force reports and/or witness reports on use of force incidents.
Responsibilities of Department Witnesses
Department members witnessing reportable force used by another Department member shall similarly advise their immediate supervisor (with a minimum rank of sergeant). The supervisor responsible for the investigation, if known at the time, and available, will determine whether the separate report by the member witness is required prior to the member going off duty. If their supervisor used force, witnesses shall notify the watch commander.
Members witnessing reportable force used by employees of another law enforcement agency shall, as soon as safely possible, advise their immediate supervisor and document their presence on their patrol log.
Responsibilities Regarding Force Reports
Each Department member reporting force in a report shall describe in detail the force incident, including the tactics leading up to the use of force, the actions of the subject necessitating the use of force, and the specific force used in response to the subject's actions. Department members shall include in the report attempts at de-escalation prior to the use of force. Department members shall document any injuries or complaint of injuries, and any medical treatment or refusal of medical treatment, in the first report, and supplementary reports.
Use of force documentation shall not contain conclusions without supporting information. Conclusions shall be based on facts revealed during the force investigation. Generic or “boilerplate” language shall not be used, and each use of force report and investigation shall contain individualized language specific to that event. Department members shall be held accountable, which may include being subject to disciplinary action, for material omissions or inaccuracies in their use of force reporting.
When practical, Department members should submit their written reports about the use of force to the supervisor conducting the investigation. Department members shall include information about their initial verbal notification in the first report, including the name of the supervisor they notified.
When force is used during crowd control situations and an arrest cannot be made, or the subject(s) cannot be identified, Department members shall report their individual uses of force, directed or otherwise, to an on-scene supervisor as soon as safely possible. The application of force applied to a group, or members of a group who are not arrested or cannot be identified, shall be documented on a single use of force incident report by the on-scene supervisor and approved by the incident commander.
Reporting of force used in crowd control situations in which subjects are arrested, or can be identified, shall be reported as an individual use of force consistent with this policy.
NOTICE: On Monday, July 22, 2024, the Department published New and Revised Use of Force Policies. The written reporting procedures related to Pointed Firearm at Person (PFP) (referred to as the PFP report) shall become effective once the PFP report form is published. The PFP report form is forthcoming.