standard operating procedure college station fire department

SUBJECT: Use Of Force SOP:700.2.20
CATEGORY: PAGE: 2 of 3
d. Due to the serious nature of using ordinary or deadly force, officers shall carefully review
chapter 9 of the Texas Penal Code several times a year. As changes occur, administration will
furnish copies of the changes to personnel and conduct training classes as necessary but in no
case less than annually.
e. All sworn personnel shall be provided a copy of this policy and given instructions regarding
this policy prior to being authorized to carry a firearm.
f. Officers shall be responsible for their actions, even if justified under relevant legal provisions.
Chapter 9 of the Texas Penal Code explicitly informs the officer that personal liability for their
actions is not abolished or impaired by the provisions of that chapter even when force is justified,
if the use of that force causes injury to innocent third parties. Under such circumstances the
officer can still be held liable.
g. Warning shots pose a danger to officers and citizens alike and shall not be used.
h. Shots fired at or from a moving vehicle are generally ineffective and are not to be fired unless in
defense of human life.
2. Levels of Force
3. Training
a. Levels of force that may be used by officers are listed below in order of least severe to most
severe.
1. verbal persuasion
2. physical strength
3. chemical irritant
4. "ASP" Baton
5. Deadly Force, Handgun or other weapons that the officer has been qualified to carry
b. There may be occasions when the use of a chemical irritant may precede physical force. This
would be when use of the irritant may prevent a physical fight which could potentially cause
greater injury to the officer and/or suspect than the use of the irritant.
c. When use of force is necessary the officer shall, to the extent possible, use an escalating scale
of options. More forceful measures shall not be applied unless it is determined that a lower level of
force would not be adequate or has been used and proven to be inadequate.
d. An officer may use deadly force only when:
1. He reasonably believes that the action is in defense of human life, including the
officer's life.
2. In defense of any person in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury.
e. Deadly force against a "fleeing felon" shall be used only when the conditions outlines in 2.d
above have been met and the officer has probable cause to believe that the escaping felon will
pose a significant and immediate threat to human life should escape occur.
a. Officers shall receive proper training and be approved to carry and use each weapon they may
wish to use. Firearms training and qualification are covered in the basic academy. Additional
information concerning firearms is covered in the Weapons policy in this manual.
b. Officers who carry chemical irritants and the "ASP" Baton may do so only after proper training
in the use of these weapons have been completed.
orig: 10/94; 3/99, re#’d 11/02