Policy Text
Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Policies and Procedures
TITLE: USE OF FORCE-PERSONAL IMPACT WEAPONS NO: F-650
APPROVED: Donny Youngblood, Sheriff-Coroner
EFFECTIVE: REVIEWED: REVISED: UPDATED:
August 6, 2020 January 25, 2021 August 6, 2020 August 6, 2020
DEFINITIONS
Personal impact weapons are any part of the body of a peace officer that can be used to subdue or
control a suspect. Such personal impact weapons include, but are not necessarily limited to, hands,
fists, elbows, forearms, knees, shins, or any part of the foot.
POLICY
Sworn members of the Sheriff’s Office are permitted to use personal impact weapons to subdue a
person when the officer is acting within the guidelines of P.C. 835a and KCSOPPM F-100; and
the use of personal impact weapons reasonably appears necessary to effect an arrest, prevent
escape, or overcome resistance.
Deputies resorting to personal impact weapons, as with any other impact weapons, shall avoid
striking a subject’s head, neck, throat, spine, kidney, or gro