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Procedure 3003Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Procedures Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/07/01, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentUSE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING - 1USE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING 3003.1 PURPOSE These procedures are intended to act as guidelines and cannot possibly foresee all possible scenarios requiring documentation and reporting of uses of force, nor is it intended to act as a substitute for good judgment or existing Department policy. 3003.2 USE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING GUIDELINES The following information provides general guidelines when writing a use of force police report and is not intended to limit or constrain documentation of all pertinent information in a report. Employees who have applied force or a restraint device, or who have been directed to complete a police report related to a use of force incident should consider the following when documenting the incident. 3003.2.1 REASON FOR THE INITIAL CONTACT AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE •Call for service / Citizen Flag down / Consensual encounter / Observed suspicious activity •Welfare Check or Medical Aid •Personal knowledge of area or observation of scene •Prior knowledge of suspect or location •Person reported to be armed, type of weapon, how info obtained and/or confirmed •Proximity of weapons (firearm, knife, glass bottle, beer can, lamp, rock, etc.) •Lighting / Weather / Terrain •Confined area or avenues of escape •Ability for person to flee •Gathering crowd / Peaceful or Hostile •Other suspects or subjects in area •High Crime / Gang / Narcotics area •Alcohol or Drug paraphernalia present and/or indications of use •Officer familiar (or not) with area 3003.2.2 REASON FOR CONTACTING THE SUBJECT OF FORCE AND ANY SUBSEQUENT LEGAL AUTHORITY •Describe probable cause or reasonable suspicion (crime afoot - suspect associated) •Public or private property Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Procedures Manual USE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/07/01, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentUSE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING - 2•Need for immediate contact with person vs. waiting for additional personnel or resources •Describe any tactical plan 3003.2.3 SUBJECT'S DESCRIPTION AND BEHAVIOR •Physical Description (Gender / Age / Height / Weight / Muscular build / Gang Tattoos) •Clothing, appearance, mannerisms or information consistent with criminal activity •Bulges in clothing capable of concealing a weapon •Obvious symptoms of drug or alcohol use •Physical signs of nervousness (rapid breathing, sweating) •Emotionally or mentally disturbed (crying / angry / agitated, violent) •Vacant stare / Glancing around for avenues of escape •Furtive movements (turning away / discarding an item / hands in pockets) •Hands closed / clenched fists •Knowledge of person’s criminal history or propensity for violence •Aggressive posture / fighting stance / rigid body 3003.2.4 INTERACTION WITH THE SUBJECT PRIOR TO THE USE OF FORCE •Unresponsive to questioning or repeating same question/answer •Abusive, vulgar or threatening language •Invading personal space •Tensing up or pulling away during contact and/or pat down •Suspect attempting to flee •Additional suspects arriving •Actively resisting or attempting to evade arrest •Were there other less intrusive measures available (including waiting for more officers) •Were de-escalation techniques employed? (Redirecting subject’s anger or attempting to convince individual to be compliant, etc.) •Warnings given (if possible) •Verbal commands given and subject's response 3003.2.5 DETAILED ACCOUNT OF FORCE USED AND SUBJECT'S ACTIONS •Describe the immediate threat of harm Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Procedures Manual USE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/07/01, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentUSE OF FORCE REPORT WRITING - 3•Why force was used (prevent escape, effect arrest, gain control, overcome resistance, self-defense) •Weapon(s) used and why •Location on subject’s body •Impact on subject and subject’s response •If known, evaluation of force after each application - decision to continue / stop / use another weapon •Verbal commands given to subject during use of force •Subject’s attempt to flee / resist / fight •Statements made by subject during application of force •Officer’s physical state (exhaustion, injured, losing consciousness, etc.) •Change in crowd composition (additional suspects arriving) •Inability to use other force options (suspect sweaty- unable to control) •Approximate or definitive number of times weapons were used overall and effectiveness •Officer mindset (fearful, physical fatigue, feeling of being overpowered by subject, etc.) 3003.2.6 ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER FORCE WAS APPLIED •Provide first-aid, if necessary •Request appropriate medical aid (OCFA Paramedics) •Notify Communications via radio and note all medical efforts in report ( •Request a supervisor, if required •Photographs taken (Suspect, Officer’s clothing and/or injuries) •Contact all percipient and/or potential witnesses •Document entire incident in police report, including a description of all injuries either observed or identified by the subject •The amount of time the person was restrained with a