Use of Force
The Use of Force section examines the protocols, training, and legal considerations surrounding the application of force in correctional facilities. This directory offers articles and resources on when and how force is justified, de-escalation techniques, and the impact of force on both staff and inmates. Understanding the use of force is essential for maintaining safety while ensuring that actions comply with legal and ethical standards. For related training, explore our section on Defensive Tactics.
A simple psychological law from the 1950s still shapes how officers think, react and perform in critical moments
The reforms include new use of force rules, BWCs, bans on stress positions and K-9 patrols, and mandatory diversity training for staff at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
The officers were acquitted of criminal charges but failed to follow the DOCCS policy requiring intervention during excessive force
David Kingsley was found guilty of murder and manslaughter, while two other officers were acquitted in the death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility
Robert Kessler, a former CO who took a plea deal, described in court how officers repeatedly hit and pepper-sprayed Robert Brooks before he died at a Utica hospital
Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake met dozens of court-ordered reforms years after allegations of excessive force and abuse
Proactive thinking and clear justification are key to managing force incidents and protecting both staff and inmates
Two corrections officers were promised 22 years in prison in exchange for the guilty plea, while two others face 3 to 9 years for their roles in the fatal assault at Marcy Correctional Facility
A structured use of force review process improves officer accountability, training and liability protection for corrections agencies
Joe L. Binder was convicted of baton assault during an altercation that injured multiple inmates and two COs, prompting ADOC to require supervisors to wear body cameras
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center sergeant was charged with assault after bodycam video showed her striking an inmate multiple times with a TASER, breaking the device
A state watchdog found serious investigative lapses in 12 of 13 California prison staff use-of-force cases it reviewed
Matthew Millar was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Jason Rothe at the Secure Psychiatric Unit in Concord
Federal charges allege Walker County Jail officers deprived Tony Mitchell and others of basic rights and used an inmate enforcer to assault detainees
Nathan Palmer admitted to lying on a use-of-force form in an attempt to cover up Messiah Nantwi’s death, prosecutors said
Joshua Bartlett admitted to filing a false report after an inmate died following a use-of-force incident involving fellow COs at Mid-State prison
Messiah Nantwi resisted being handcuffed and grabbed a CO’s vest during an emergency response call, leading several COs to strike the inmate, the indictment says
The duty to intervene in an excessive force situation is your legal and moral responsibility
Nicholas Kieffer pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and other charges in the death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility
The conviction of the former Southern Regional Jail lieutenant is part of a broader federal investigation that has led to guilty pleas from six other COs
A Lorain County corrections officer is accused of hitting an inmate’s head into a wall; he has been placed on administrative leave
The attorney general usually probes in-custody deaths, but Letitia James said four COs under investigation in the death of Robert Brooks have lawyers from her office
Five senior COs and one sergeant are accused of filing false reports regarding an incident that took place in April 2020 at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility
From body cameras to healthcare access, the new year will bring key policy shifts to improve corrections operations
The Marlboro County sheriff and a deputy were indicted in an incident involving the use of a TASER on an unruly prisoner in their custody
The incident occurred when the officer tried to force the allegedly intoxicated arrestee to stand still for an X-Ray photo; the officer has been sentenced to 4 years in prison
The sheriff said all Broome County Correctional Facility staff will undergo formal training on use of force, de-escalation and duty to intervene
Investigators said the April incident began with a routine cell shakedown, where Tarrant County Jail employees located a shank and razor in the inmate’s cell
Four of the COs pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and a fifth pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a Jefferson City Correctional Center inmate
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