Policy Text
FLORIDA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE 08-03
Page 1 TITLE: Law Enforcement Role and
Authority – Use of Force
NUMBER: 08-03
EFFECTIVE: October 09 , 2015
REVISION DATE: March 25, 2024
STANDARDS: CFA 4.01M, 4.02M, 4.04M,
4.05M, 4.07M, 4.08M, 4.09M, 4.11M, 4.12M
____________________________________
PURPOSE: The purpose of this General Order
/ Policy is to establish procedures and ethical
conduct guidelines for all officers involved in a
use of force while performing their duties.
SCOPE: All departmental personne l.
POLICY: The Florida City Police Department
places significantly greater value on the
preservation of life than on the protection of
property. It is the policy of Florida City Police
Department that its officers shall use only the
minimal force that is necessary to affect an
arrest, apprehension, or physically control an
unruly person. Deadly force will be used as a
last resort only to protect life and to prevent
death or great bodily harm to members of the
community and to police officers. This policy i s
based on professional, legal, and moral precepts
by which police officers may utilize that force
necessary to protect society and themselves
from death or great bodily harm in accordance
with U.S. and Florida Law 776.05
DEFINITIONS:
AUTHORIZED FIREARM : Pistol,
semiautomatic, shotgun, and/or carbine rifle,
issued or approved by the department for use
either on or off duty. As a condition of use the
bearer must be able to prove proficiency in the
use of the weapon. (See G. P. 08.03.9 for types
and specifications)
DEADLY FORCE (Police): Any use of force
that is likely to cause death.
DEADLY FORCE (Citizen): Any use of force
that is likely to cause death or great bodily
harm.
GREAT BODILY HARM/SERIOUS
PHYSICAL INJURY: Bodily injuries serious
enough to either create a substantial risk of
death; permanent disability/disfigurement; or
long-term loss/impairment of the functioning of
any bodily member or organ.
IMMINENT DANGER: A situation that an
officer perceives, by use of any of the officers’
senses, to present a menacing, perilous, threat of
death or serious bodily injury. The perceived
time of occurrence that the officer feels is so
brief that he must act to protect himself or
another from the threat.
LAST RESORT: All practical means available
to the officer to avoid using deadly force have
been exhausted. This should include only those
which would not substantially increase the risk
of danger to the officer.
LESS -THAN LETHA L FORCE: Any use of
force used to require another person to comply
with a lawful order and not expected to cause
FLORIDA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE 08-03
Page 2 death or serious bodily injury.
PROBABLE CAUSE: That set of facts or
circumstance based on personal knowledge,
observation or reliable informa tion that shows
and would warrant an ordinary prudent person
to believe that a particular person has, is
threatening, or about to commit an unlawful act,
and would cause a person of average caution to
act in a similar manner under similar
circumstances.
REASONABLE BELIEF: The facts or
circumstances the officer knows, or should
know, are such as to cause an ordinary and
prudent person to act or think in a similar way
under similar circumstances.
PROCEDURE:
08.03.1 Use of Necessary Force / Use of Force
In accordance with U.S. and Florida law 776.05
officers will use only the force necessary to
accomplish a lawful objective, and such force
will cease when they accomplish this objective.
The force may be as simple as taking control of
the person by physicall y restraining his or her
arm, or may escalate to the use of other
compliance techniques or devices for
controlling, including the last option, deadly
force. Officers are not expected to engage in
prolonged hand to hand combat before resorting
to a higher l evel of force, if necessary, to control
the situation.
A. There are occasions in the course of police
action, which demand that a law enforcement
officer use non -negotiable coercive force to
execute legal authority. The level of force
applied by the office r must be proportionate to the level of resistance offered. Members shall
demonstrate a good faith effort in administering
that amount of force necessary to meet that
specific resistance level.
B. Any application of force may result in injury
or complaint that unnecessary or excessive force
was used. The amount of force administered by
the member shall not shock the conscience of
the community. If the person is injured, the
extent of the injury shall be proportionate with
the exhibited resistance level. Co urts have held
that for use of force to be justified you must
show:
1. Need for the application of force.
2. Relationship between the need and the
amount of force used.
3. The extent of injury in relationship with the
seriousness of the action.
4. That force was applied in good faith and not
mal