Putnam County Sheriff's Office: Response to Resistance Policy

**PUTNAM COUNTY** **SHERIFF'S OFFICE** **H. D. "GATOR" DELOACH, SHERIFF** +-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+ | | **GENERAL | Effective | Sheriff's | Number: | | | ORDER** | Date: | Approval: | | |...

**PUTNAM COUNTY** **SHERIFF'S OFFICE** **H. D. "GATOR" DELOACH, SHERIFF** +-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+ | | **GENERAL | Effective | Sheriff's | Number: | | | ORDER** | Date: | Approval: | | | | | | | 4480.00 | | | | 01/03/2017 | **Signature | | | | | | on File** | | | | | Rev. | | | | | | 02/05/2024 | | | +=============+=============+=============+=============+=============+ | | Subject: | | | | | | RESPONSE TO | | | | | | RESISTANCE | | | | +-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+ | | Accreditati | | | | | | on | | | | | | Standards: | | | | | | CFA 4.01, | | | | | | 4.02, 4.04, | | | | | | 4.06, 4.07, | | | | | | 4.08, 4.09, | | | | | | 15.15, | | | | | | 15.21 | | | | +-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+ INDEXED AS: Aerosol Defense Spray CONTENTS: I. DEFINITIONS POLICY: It is the policy of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office that all members remain cognizant of every person's right to life. Members shall use only the appropriate response level to resistance necessary to perform their official duties and shall not strike or use a response to resistance, including impact weapons, against any person except, when necessary, in the performance of official duties. All members authorized to carry weapons or firearms will be instructed in this policy before they are authorized to carry such weapon or firearm. (CFA 4.02) This policy outlining the Putnam County Sheriff's Office's guidelines and regulations pertaining to a member's response to resistance and any subsequent use of force shall adhere to all applicable laws (CFA 4.01). I. DEFINITIONS II\. FLORIDA STATUTES REGARDING RESPONSES TO RESISTANCE 1. Discharge of firearms: A Sheriff's Office member will not discharge a firearm if it is reasonably apparent that doing so will endanger the lives of an innocent person. All Sheriff's Office members have the responsibility to review the Florida Statutes, Chapter 776, Justifiable Use of Force. 2. Prior to using force with a firearm, the member should attempt to give a verbal warning if time allows, and it does not jeopardize the safety of the member or another person. (CFA 4.01C) F. FSS 776.051 - Use of force in resisting or making an arrest; Prohibition: I. Aggressive/Vicious Animals III\. RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE CONTINUUM A. Levels of Resistance: B. Officer Response Options 1. [De-Escalation] is intended to gain voluntary compliance of subjects and thereby reduce or eliminate the necessity to use force. An officer shall use de-escalation techniques consistent with his/her training whenever possible and appropriate before resorting to force, and to reduce the need for force. (CFA 4.01B) B. Responses to Resistance: IV\. MEDICAL TREATMENT AFTER RESPONSES TO RESISTANCE (CFA 4.08) B. Response to resistance involving Impact Weapons: C. Response to resistance involving less than lethal shotgun bean bag round: D. Response to resistance involving Aerosol Defense Spray: V. REPORTING RESPONSES TO RESISTANCE (15.15 A, B) VI\. DUTY TO INTERVENE A. All members, both sworn and civilian, have a duty to report any act they witness or discover that involves the use of excessive or unnecessary force by another member. Members shall report any excessive or unnecessary use of force to their supervisor as soon as reasonable following the event. B. Additionally, every officer has a duty to act and intervene if they observe another member using force that is objectively unreasonable. Officers shall intervene to either stop or attempt to stop the use of unreasonable force. (CFA 4.01D) VII\. TRAINING VIII\. RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE REVIEW IX\. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE TRAINING COMMITTEE: