go-60.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS SUBJECT Response to Resistance CHIEF OF POLICE Signature on File Proudly Policing Since 1826 Nationally Accredited 1986 NUMBER ORIGINAL ISSUE CURRENT REVISION TOTAL PAGES 60 07/28/1986 06/10/2025 23 AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities FS Chapter 776, Justifiable Use of Force General Order 7, Conducted Energy Weapons General Order 11, Communicable Disease Control General Order 16, Digital Audio and Video Recording System General Order 19, Digital Evidence Capturing Devices General Order 29, The Internal Affairs Unit and Administrative Investigations General Order 61, Weapons, Firearms, and Less-lethal Firearms General Order 63, Officer-Involved Action Resulting in Serious Injury or Death General Order 88, PepperBall® Launcher Protocols ACCREDITATION REFERENCES CALEA Chapters 1, 4, 41 CFA Chapters 4, 10 KEY WORD INDEX Chain of Command Review Procedures Procedure X Deadly Force Guidelines Procedure IV Duty to Intervene Procedure II General Guidelines Procedure I Internal Affairs Unit Responsibilities Procedure XI Less-lethal Force Guidelines Procedure III Medical Aid Protocols Procedure VII Report of Injury Protocols Procedure VIII Response to Resistance – Control/Force Options Procedure VI Response to Resistance Report Procedure IX Shooting an Animal Procedure V Training Section Responsibilities Procedure XII\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY The Department and its officers recognize the value of all human life. While the majority of officer/citizen interactions are peaceful, the Department recognizes there are limited circumstances when officers will face resistance to their lawful orders and efforts. When officers are engaged in any response to resistance encounter, they are responsible for making the preservation of human life their first priority and using only the amount of force objectively reasonable to effectively bring the incident under control. DEFINITIONS Active Resistance: Physically evasive movements, with or without verbal resistance, to defeat an officer’s attempt at control, but not intended to harm the officer. Examples include, but are not limited to, linking arms with others, bracing or tensing, attempts to push or pull away, and walking or running away. Aggravated Aggressive Resistance: Overt, hostile, attacking movements, with or without a weapon, likely to result in death or serious injury to any person (i.e., the officer, the person offering the resistance, others). Examples include, but are not limited to, the use of a firearm, use of blunt or bladed weapon, and extreme physical force. Aggressive Resistance: Assaultive or attacking movements which present an imminent threat of physical harm (but not likely to cause death or serious injury) to any person (i.e., the officer, the person offering the resistance, others), and prevents the officer from placing the person under control and in custody. Examples include, but are not limited to, taking a fighting stance, punching, kicking, striking, biting, and attacking with weapons not likely to cause serious injury or death. AVR: Digital Audio and Video Recording System. Chokehold: Any physical maneuver that intentionally restricts an individual’s ability to breathe for the purposes of incapacitation. Deadly Force: Any force likely to cause serious injury or death. Deadly Force Situation: When an officer believes it is objectively reasonable to use deadly force to defend their life or the life of another person from an imminent threat of serious injury or death. Excessive Force: The application of more force than is objectively reasonable in situations where some force is necessary. Force: Any physical strike or instrumental contact with a person, or any significant physical contact that restricts the movement of a person. The term includes, but is not GENERAL ORDER 60 PAGE 2 of 23 RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE JUNE 10, 2025\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT limited to, discharging a firearm at a person, the use of a TEW, OC Spray or other chemical sprays, beanbag shotgun, PepperBall® weapon system, or hard empty hands tactics, the taking of a person to the ground, or a canine application. The term does not include escorting or the utilization of handcuffs or other Department-approved restraint devices on a person offering no or minimal resistance. Less-lethal Firearm: A Department-issued firearm utilizing less-lethal munitions (i.e., any projectile designed to stun, temporarily incapacitate or cause temporary discomfort to a person without penetrating their body). Less-lethal Force: Any force other than deadly force which is neither likely to cause, nor intended to cause, death or serious injury. Non-deadly Force Situation: A response to resistance encounter which is not considered a deadly force situation. Objectively Reasonable: In the context of response to resistance encounters, officer’s actions which are deemed appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances confronting them at the time. An officer’s response to resistance actions are always analyzed from the perspective of a reasonable officer possessing the same information and facing the same circumstances as the officer who actually used force. OC Spray: Oleoresin Capsicum Spray; an aerosol or gel based inflammatory agent derived from oleoresin capsicum. Passive Resistance: Verbal and/or physical refusal to comply or cooperate with (or respond to) an officer’s lawful directions but taking no or only minimal physical action to prevent an officer from placing the person in custody and taking control. Examples include, but are not limited to, refusing to move or remaining stationary, and not moving when directed. Physical Control and Strikes: The use of empty-hand or leverage-enhanced techniques, including transporters, take-downs, pain compliance measures, and/or various striking techniques. The term does not include the utilization of handcuffs or other Department-approved restraint devices on a person offering no or minimal resistance. Public Safety Associate: Other public safety/criminal justice associates which may include, but is not limited to: other first responders (e.g., fire department personnel, emergency medical personnel, etc.), members of task forces from other agencies, members from other law enforcement agencies, agency volunteers, or representatives from support organizations. Serious Injury: An injury likely to result in permanent disability, protracted loss or impairment of function of any bodily member or organ, or significant disfigurement. GENERAL ORDER 60 PAGE 3 of 23 RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE JUNE 10, 2025\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Taser Energy Weapon (TEW): A Department-issued Taser energy device designed to affect the sensory and motor functions of the central nervous system. Unnecessary Force: The application of force where there is no justification or authority for its use. Vascular Neck Restraints: A technique that can be used to incapacitate individuals by restricting the flow of blood to their brain. Verbal De-escalation: An officer’s spoken communication with a person to gain control of a situation, provide the person the opportunity to comply with lawful directions or commands, or to distract the person from the focus of their anger. The goal of verbal de-escalation is the person’s voluntary compliance. Verbal Direction: Spoken communication of a lawful order for a person to perform a specific act. PROCEDURES I. GENERAL GUIDELINES A. Based on the totality of the circumstances, when practical, officers should attempt to gain control of a response to resistance encounter by using verbal de-escalation techniques. A person’s voluntary compliance is the desired outcome of any officer-person encounter. B. In any response to resistance encounter, officers shall use only the amount of force objectively reasonable, based on the f