ii-43LethalAndLessLethalWeapons

Revisions or additions are highlighted 1 (06/23/2025 ) ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER Subject: Lethal and Less -lethal Weapons Index as: Aerosol Subject Restraint (ASR) Device AR-15 ASP ASR Authorized Weapons Cruiser -Safe Display of a Firearm Firearms Impact Weapons Intermediate Weapons Less -lethal Force Less -lethal Munitions OC Burster Off-duty Handgun Off-duty Less -lethal On-duty Firearms Pepperball Projectiles Pepperball Projectile Systems Pepperball Projectile Systems Operator Personally Owned Firearms Personally Owned Rifle/Shotgun Ramming Safety and Security of Firearms Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team SWAT Tactical Chemical Weapons Use of Force Use of Force Reporting Accreditation Standards: 4.1.4, 4.2.1, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 4.3.4, 41.3.4 CFA 4.05. 4.06, 4.07 Reference: G.O. II -20 Weapons Qualifications G.O. II -42 Use of Force G.O. II -45 Firearms Range G.O. III -15 High -Risk Situations G.O. III -17 Pursuit of a Vehicle or Boat G.O. III -18 Civil Disturbances G.O. III -42 Discharge of a Firearm, Police Action Death or Serious Bodily Injury Investigations I.O. V.5:20 Employee Support Services §§ 394.463(d), 776.012, .05, .06, 790.01, .052, .053, 174 and 943.10(6), Florida Statutes Replaces: G.O. II -43, Lethal and Less -Lethal Weapons ( April 29, 20 24) Prior to being authorized to carry any weapon or assigned any duties which require the possession of a weapon, agency personnel will be issued a copy of , and receive training on, General Order II -42, Use of Force, be instructed about state law and Department policies regarding the use of authorized weapons, and demonstrate proficiency. This Directive consists of the following sections: I. Policy II. Definitions III. Authorized Less -Lethal Weapons IV. Use of Firearms DATE OF ISSUE EFFECTIVE DATE NUMBER April 2016 Immediately II-43 Distribution: All Employees General Order II -43 Revisions or additions are highlighted 2 (06/23/2025 ) I. POLICY A. The Department recognizes that the possession and/or handling of firearm s by employees of this Department are a regular part of the duties of a police officer and a small number of civilian employees; i.e., the armorer, forensic technicians and property clerks. Firearms are inherently dangerous devices which require extra caution to ensure they are handled safely and access to them is strictly controlled. B. It is the policy of the St. Petersburg Police Department that all firearms owned by, or in the possession of, employees of this Department will be handled safely and be properly secured when not in use. C. It is the policy of the St. Petersburg Police Depart ment that employees will report the loss or theft of all firearms owned by or in the possession of the employee. D. Officer s are expected to comply with all the provisions of this Order regarding the carrying or employment of off - duty firearms; however, tho se choosing to exercise any rights provided to them under federal or state law , not in accord with this Order, may be considered as acting outside the scope of their employment. E. All employees must participate in training and demonstrate proficiency in acc ordance with G.O. II -20, Weapons Qualifications . F. Officers must carry at least one of the following authorized less -lethal weapons when in uniform: 1. ASP, an impact weapon manufactured by Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc. 2. ASR, an aerosol subject rest raint which is a pressurized chemical spray; i.e., OC spray. 3. Taser Energy Weapon ( TEW). G. Department issued less -lethal weapons are not authorized to be carried off -duty. II. DEFINITIONS A. Aerosol Subject Restraint (ASR) – A pressurized chemical spray; e.g., OC spray. B. Authorized Weapons – Weapons provided by the Department with which the officer has been trained and demonstrated their proficiency; includes personal firearms, which have been approved by the Department, and are carried by officer s on or off duty. C. Cruiser -Safe – A condition in which the Department longarms (shotgun and rifle) are m aintained while being transported in a Department vehicle. The safety will be on, with a loaded magazine, or magazine tube, but no round in the chamber. D. Less -lethal Weapons – A weapon that is not fundamentally designed to cause death or serious physical i njury such as a Taser Energy Weapon, expandable batons, and chemical agent sprays. For Department purposes, the term “less -lethal” includes w eapons classified by the manufacturer as “non-lethal weapons .” E. Pepper ball Projectile Systems – A less-lethal weapo n that uses a compressed gas launcher to deliver Pepper ball Project