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
When the pads of the GLOVE come into direct contact with human skin, it generates pain compliance
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating how the inmate stole the pepper-spray device
The case hung on the jury’s interpretation of video footage of the COs restraining a resistant inmate with a history of assaulting officers
Body camera footage shows Jerry Miller argue with an unidentified officer before being picked up and thrown down
Handcuffed suspects and inmates can still be a deadly threat to officers, whether on the street, in a jail or in prison
Cheryl Weimar and her husband, Karl, said in their lawsuit that her civil rights were violated
The incident was contained to an isolated area
A fourth CO has been charged with a felony over use of force captured on video by an inmate using a smuggled cellphone
The video was taken by an inmate using a smuggled cellphone
Consider a roundtable discussion of these two cases during roll call training
The five-minute video was filmed July 8 though a window screen by an unidentified inmate
It is critical you stay informed with all current state law that governs how jails and prisons operate, especially in regard to use of force
Police have completed their murder investigation into the March shooting death of a 47-year-old inmate who escaped
We need to support those who do the right thing
Switching to cell phones to record use of force has transformed how officers engage, respond and learn
Make sure to share your results and challenge your colleagues to match or beat your score
Inmates with mental illness can make your job harder and pose an increased safety risk
There are several steps correctional officers can follow to write a use of force report that is both a thorough and accurate account of events
The inmate had been placed on a gurney with his wrists and ankles in restraints when he managed to get free
These posters will do nothing but cause animosity and make frontline staff hesitant when use of force needs to be applied
“This isn’t f---ing Ford Motors. This does nothing to reduce the violence in jails,” fumed Elias Husamudeen
The former Oklahoma reserve deputy was released early because he earned credits for good behavior and not because his case was given precedence
The suspect told the dispatcher he was feeling suicidal and he was going to “blast it out with the police officers”
The inmate refused to stop despite the officer’s verbal commands and a warning shot
Shana Tedder complained of shortness of breath after a use of force incident with a prisoner at the Crain Unit
The sheriff’s office said 12 inmates in a fourth-floor “disciplinary unit” barricaded themselves “while the deputy on duty was temporarily out of the housing unit”
They alleged officials used pepper spray excessively and kept juveniles in solitary confinement for weeks or months at a time
COs must be trained to understand that their actions may not be evaluated further than from the objective realm of analysis
Anthony Gangi sits down with UOF expert Michael Wohlfert and discusses how and why UOF is employed, recent changes to UOF, and recent events in which UOF was applied
The jail inmate gunned down two bailiffs during an escape attempt