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.
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
Lt. Joel Garcia was fired, then reinstated and placed on administrative leave in connection to a Tarrant County Jail inmate’s death
The Georgia DOC said the inmate’s death was a “result of an altercation” and that the CO was immediately fired
The investigation will examine whether Kentucky protects the facilities’ juveniles from excessive force, prolonged isolation, violence and sexual abuse, the DOJ said
Prison officials were called to a “disturbance” in a housing unit at New Folsom when the inmate “charged and began to hit staff;" COs then began to restrain the inmate
The former Dade Correctional CO was found guilty of second-degree murder
The former Staton Correctional Facility sergeant was convicted by a jury of deprivation of rights under color of law, falsification of records and obstruction of justice
Eric Nantell, former correctional supervisor at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, was convicted of depriving the inmate’s civil rights, tampering with a witness victim or informant and making false statements
Sebron Hollands pleaded guilty to providing false information in a report after his co-worker was accused of punching an inmate at the Northwest Correctional Complex
Correctional officers in select locations will wear cameras during shifts to test and perfect their use before a complete agency rollout slated for the end of 2024
The CO was a former 20-year law enforcement veteran who was a lieutenant and shift commander at William Donaldson Correctional Facility
You don’t get to “win” the fight. You stop when the violence or active resistance has stopped
“Stabbings and slashing will exceed 300 this year with 6,000 uses of force — much high than other jail systems,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Powell said
If you think there is any chance you’ll need backup, don’t be a hero
Take advantage of the moments before an inmate loses control when you have the opportunity to divert that rage
The decision to dismiss charges against Jarrett Hobbs came several months after an investigation following the video’s release last year
The investigation was opened after deaths in county jails hit a two-decade high last year and other allegations of excessive use of force surfaced
Sheriff said decision to terminate the CO was part of his vow to make “accountability and transparency a top priority”
Arrestee claims it was improper to use a K-9 to assist in a cell extraction because as a patrol dog, it was not trained or certified in forced cell extraction
Sergeant found not liable after breaking inmate’s arm with a baton to end a violent struggle with officers
A separate jury convicted former CO Alex Banta, 30, of similar charges in April
Lawsuit by family members of man who died in custody alleges guards at Monroe’s Richwood Correctional Center beat and pepper-sprayed handcuffed prisoners in area without security cameras
The 25 state correctional officers were accused in 2019 of using excessive force against inmates and functioning as a criminal enterprise in jails around the city
Court ruled a jury could find that punching the inmate in the face and applying pressure to her neck, back and legs after her resistance was controlled was excessive
The incident drew national attention when Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced that the reporter who wrote the story was under criminal investigation
The temporary approval of such tactics is a sign of increasingly desperate conditions inside Louisiana’s aging and understaffed juvenile jails
Alex Banta now faces up to life in prison for actions the jury said led to the death of inmate Larry Earvin
“It is time for the jail culture to stop supporting behaviors that are forbidden by policy,” the monitors wrote
A jury said the sheriff’s office violated the inmate’s rights under federal disability laws by failing to properly train staff
Larry Earvin, whose death was ruled a homicide, died five weeks after the 2018 incident
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