Policy Text
POLICY: The South Miami Police Department (SMPD) recognizes the value of human life
and is committed to respecting the dignity of every individual. SMPD places
significantly greater value on the preservation of life than on the protection of
property. Accordingly, the sanctity of human life is central to the Department’s
mission, policies, training, and tactics.
South Miami Police Department officers shall only use force that is objectively
reasonable to effectively bring an incident under control while protecting the
safety of the officers and others. Officers shall use force only when no reasonably
effective alternative appears to exist and shall use only the level of force that a
reasonably prudent officer would use under the same or similar circumstances.
The South Miami Police Department’s Response to Resistance policy is governed
both by case law interpreting the U.S. Constitution (i.e.: Graham v. Conner, 490
U.S. 386 – 1989) and Chapter 776 of the Florida Statutes governing the justifiable
use of force. It must be noted, however, that the SMPD policy described
herein is more restrictive than state and federal law, and employees are
required to comply with this policy. A description of all possible situations
wherein the use of force, whether less-lethal or deadly force, would be justified
is not feasible.