GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON USE OF FORCE ICAT: INTEGRATING ...€¦ · perf guiding principles on use of...

PERFGUIDING PRINCIPLES ON USE OF FORCE

&ICAT: INTEGRATING COMMUNICATION,

ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

PRESENTER: TOM WILSON

WHO IS PERF?

Membership organization founded by 10 chiefs in 1976

Dedicated to questioning the conventional thinking in policing

Conducts research on best practices and policies

PERF is governed by a member-elected President and Board of Directors and a Board-appointed Executive Director. A staff of approximately 30 full-time professionals is based in Washington, D.C.

WHO ARE PERF MEMBERS?

PERF members include chief executives of large and smaller police agencies in the

United States and around the world; executives below the rank of chief;

researchers and scholars; and others interested and involved in the criminal justice

field. All members must be committed to PERF’s founding principles and must possess

a four-year college degree.

WHAT DOES PERF DO?

Research

Publications

Management Services

Executive Searches

Senior Management Institute for Police

PERF PUBLICATIONS

OVERVIEW AND HISTORY OF THE USE OF FORCE INITIATIVE AND ICAT

TRAINING

How many participants agree law enforcement recruit training properly prepares the new officer to handle critical police incidents

including individuals in crisis?

A) Agree

B) Disagree

POLLING QUESTION

2015 PERF SURVEY ON USE-OF-FORCE TRAINING

6

8

8

8

8

8

10

16

24

40

49

58

OC Spray

ECW

Baton

Crisis Intervention

De-escalation

UoF Policy

Communication Skills

Basic first-aid

UoF Scenario-Based Training

Con Law/Legal Issues

Defensive Tactics

Firearms

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Hours

Hours Spent on Use-of-Force Topics for Basic Recruit Training (median values)

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS APRIL 2015

MAY 7, 2015: RE-ENGINEERING TRAINING ON POLICE USE OF FORCE

PERF VISIT TO POLICE SCOTLAND (NOVEMBER 2015)

PERF VISIT TO NYPD EMERGENCY SERVICE UNIT (DECEMBER 2015)

PERF VISIT TO POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND (JANUARY 2016)

Mental illness was a factor in approximately one-quarter of fatal officer-involved shootings.

10% of shootings involved an unarmed subject.

16% of subjects were armed with a knife.

In 5% of cases the subject was using a vehicle as a weapon.

NEWSPAPERS COUNT 2015 FATALITIES

JANUARY 29, 2016: USE OF FORCE: TAKING POLICING TO A HIGHER STANDARD

PUBLICATION: GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON USE OF FORCE

The sanctity of human life should be at the heart of everything an agency

does.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Policy:

“It is the policy of this department that officers hold the highest regard for the dignity and liberty of all persons, and place minimal

reliance upon the use of force. The department respects the value of every human life and that the application of deadly force is a measure to

be employed in the most extreme circumstances.”

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

Departments should adopt policies that hold themselves to a higher

standard than the legal requirements of Graham v. Connor.

Criminal / Administrative

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

OFFICER CREATED JEOPARDY

A SITUATION WHERE AN OFFICER DEVIATES FROM ESTABLISHED TACTICS OR POLICIES AND HIS/HER ACTIONS

UNNECESSARILY PLACE THEM (AND/OR OTHERS) AT GREATERRISK OF HARM.

FOR EXAMPLE, AN OFFICER STEPPING IN FRONT OF A FLEEING VEHICLE AND SHOOTING PUTS HIM IN DANGER OF

BEING RUN OVER STRUCK…

ARE YOU IN THE BEST TACTICAL POSITION?

Examine department policy regarding shooting at cars when the car is the

only threat.

Policies adjusted to address when vehicle being used to create mass

casualty.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

New York Police Department Policy (implemented 1972):

“DO NOT discharge firearms at or from a moving vehicle, unless deadly physical

force is being used against an officer or another person present, by means other

than the moving vehicle.”

SHOOTING AT MOVING VEHICLES

NYPD 2014 ANNUAL FIREARMS DISCHARGE REPORT

Police use of force must meet the test of proportionality.

In assessing whether a response is proportional to the threat being faced, officers should consider the following: Am I using only the level of force necessary to mitigate the threat and safely achieve a lawful objective?

Is there another, less injurious option available that will allow me to achieve the same objective as effectively and safely?

Will my actions be viewed as appropriate given the severity of the threat and totality of the circumstances?

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Adopt de-escalation as formal agency policy.

Seattle Police Department Policy: “When safe under the totality of the circumstances and time and

circumstances permit, officers shall use de-escalation tactics in order to reduce the need for force.”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Duty to intervene: Officers need to prevent other officers from using

excessive force.

Phoenix Police Department Policy: “All sworn employees will intervene, if a reasonable opportunity

exists, when they know or should know another employee is using unreasonable force.”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Two officers are dispatched to a residence where the caller advised her male friend is suicidal. Officers arrive and the friend states her male friend, who is in the home, may be harming himself with a knife. Do you…

A) Immediately enter the residence and to make contact with the subject in order to render aid if necessary.

B) Gather additional information, ensure the friends safety, develop a plan, and attempt to initiate contact with the suicidal subject from the doorway to the residence.

C) Request the assistance of a “SWAT” type team to handle the incident.

POLLING QUESTION

Respect the sanctity of life by promptly rendering first aid.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Prohibit use of deadly force against individuals who pose a danger only to

themselves.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

The name of an officer(s) involved in an officer involved shooting should be released to the

public as long as no known threat to the officer’s safety exists.

A) Agree

B) Disagree

POLLING QUESTION

Document use-of-force incidents, and review your data and enforcement

practices to ensure that they are fair and non-discriminatory.

Report use of force and IA info to the public.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Investigate all critical police incidents resulting in death or

serious bodily injury with specially trained personnel.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: POLICY

Implement a comprehensive agency training program on dealing with

people with mental health problems.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: TRAINING AND TACTICS

Tactical training and mental health training need to be interwoven to

improve response to critical incidents.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: TRAINING AND TACTICS

Culture of Speed

21’ rule / Distance + Cover = Time

Draw a line in the sand??

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: TRAINING & TACTICS

“When I f irst came on we would always use the 21-foot rule. If they’re within 21 feet, they can be on top of you and stabbing you before you react to that. But now I think they’re trying to extend that distance out even fur ther because I think there is documentation now that someone armed with a knife can literally run up on someone before you’re able to react to that, or already being stabbed.”

- San Diego Officer Neal Browder, in a statement to investigators regarding his April 2015 of ficer-involved shooting

“21-FOOT RULE”

“He firmly believed he was in fear for his life and concerned about the life of his fellow officers. There is this 21-foot rule. It talks about how an individual is a significant threat to police officers when they’re in that 21-foot boundary.”

- Dan Herbert, attorney representing Chicago Officer Jason Van Dyke, discussing Officer Van Dyke’s October 2014 officer-involved shooting

“21-FOOT RULE”

“How long are they supposed to walk along the sidewalk with the suspect? At some point you have to draw a line in the sand.”

- Ralph Brown, California Peace Officers Standards and Training Spokesman on the December San Francisco police shooting

“LINE IN THE SAND”

Scenario-based training should be prevalent, challenging, and realistic.

Use case study approach.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: TRAINING AND TACTICS

Agencies should consider new options for chemical spray.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: EQUIPMENT

Personal protection shields may support de-escalation efforts during

critical incidents, including situations involving persons with knives,

baseball bats, or other improvised weapons that are not firearms.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: EQUIPMENT

Well trained call-takers and dispatchers are essential to the police

response to critical incidents.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: INFORMATION ISSUES

APRIL 11-15, 2016: TRAINING WORKING GROUP AT NYPD ACADEMY

ICAT PILOT SITES

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR TAKING POLICING TO A HIGHER STANDARD

INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Critical Decision-Making Model

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INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Critical Decision-Making Model

Benefits Better and safer

decisions up front Better explanation of

those decisions after the fact

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INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Crisis Recognition and Response

Recognizing someone in crisis helps shape your response

Your role is not to diagnose and treat –it’s to understand and begin to defuse

Bring balance to the Emotional-Rational Thinking Scale

Stabilizing/safely maintaining the scene until specialists arrive is a victory

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EMOTIONAL /RATIONAL THINKING SCALE

INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Tactical Communications

Active listening• Listen more than talk• Listen to understand, not respond• Demonstrate you are listening• Show empathy and respect

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INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Tactical Communications

Non-verbal communications• Body language• Eye contact• Open-handed gestures• Tone of voice

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INTEGRATION ANDPRACTICE

Tactical Communications

Verbal communications• Team concept• Clear, single questions/commands• Ask open-ended questions• Provide options

Emotional Contagion52

INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Operational Safety Tactics

Pre-response Collect information Slow down (“tactical pause”) Develop a working strategy Prepare and manage yourself

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INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

Operational Safety Tactics

Response Teamwork Distance + Cover = Time Tactical positioning/repositioning Put yourself in a winnable situation

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Operational Safety Tactics

Post-Response After-Action Reviews Not grading past success or failure Improving future performance

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INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIONS, ASSESSMENT, AND TACTICS

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!

Thoughts?

Questions?

twilson@policeforum.orgwww.policeforum.org

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