Use of Force Reporting

[gdowkpc]

This month, the Portland Police Bureau opted to institute another report, the "Use of Force Report".

While I understand that many departments are going to this type of a form, for those of you that use one, what do you think? We have an officer here who is a lateral from a department in Arizona. he hated it there and he hates it here.

Why? Because officers are now uning less than the appropriate amount of force to handle a situation to avoid the report. I've seen it...I've done it.

Our reports track the use of force from handcuffing to lethal force and everything in between. While I understand the form for reporting the user of a taser, bean bag, or firearm. But for handcuffing and control holds?

I have transported a detox candidate home in the back of my car instead to detox. I checked him for weapons without using a control hold, then transported him without cuffing. This is contrary to training and policy, but I didn't want to fill out that dang report. It takes about 10 minutes!

We are required to fill in header info including the person's name, address, and physicals. We have to check boxes describing the type of incident, force used, and purpose. We have to chech boxes indicating whether or not we used pepper, taser, or beanbag. We have to indicate if the suspect or officer was injured or saw a doctor. We have to describe the mental condition of the person and any known risk factors, including evaluating any risk factors. After all that, we have to write a narrative justifying the use of force.

Does this big report sound a little overdone if you are doing a simple warrant service or transporting an already in custody shoplifter to jail? We've always been required to document in a report the use from handcuffing on up..but now a special form?

We've already had officers not draw their weapons when taking out a non-compliant driver......brass just says we should know better...and they are right. But it's being done anyways. The union cries that someone is going to get hurt, and they're right. The job has been made more dangerous from within.

Second issue. The department says they are not doing to use the forms to track officer's use of force. However, the media can. I can see when the next shooting occurs, the media will do a request for every use of force report completed by that officer and do their own stats. Great. And a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[greenlead]

We have to fill out forms for all of it here, including pointing a gun at someone.

I think a computerized system would really make reports easier, as all the officer would have to do is fill in the pertinent info once, and the computer would fill in all the appropriate forms with the info. Imagine not having to fill in Name, Badge #, etc. ever again!

[acreature]

Our use of force reports only cover from hard hands up. I think they are a good tool for Immediate Supervisors, ONLY. They are filed in our personel files, and are not Public Record.

[acreature]

Only thing about our reports that I dislike is the block for the suspect has "ethnicity", but there is no block for the Officers Ethnicity. <wonders why>

[gdowkpc]

Electronic reporting is coming...but all this info was already included in the narratives of other reports. The more time we spend writing, the less time we spend policing. It's getting crazy.

[Seand442]

What dept here in AZ? We have a check box for OC or baton and another form for tasing someone. Not a whole lot beyond that.

[Babysmamadrama]

We have always had one, but the new chief came in and added a bunch of new chicken****. We have to do one every time we use force, other than verbal commands and handcuffing. There is even pages for a witness and the goddamn suspect to fill out which incidentally is always refused.

[MOCOP]

Can you say politicly motivated chief?

[Babysmamadrama]

Cover thy Buttocks.

[Ghost 1]

The department says they are not doing to use the forms to track officer's use of force.

Bulls**t. If you believe that,I've got some beachfront property in Arizona I'll sell you.

[Switchback]

We have always had one. It is not necessary to use it for handcuffing or drawing/pointing our weapons. NOr is it necessary for diversionary devices.

It is required when we discharge a weapon for any reason (off a firing range), use of less lethals (baton or impact munitions, OC, CS grenades, Taser, etc) and using physical force. Soft hands and control techniques are rarely documented on this form. The only time I have seen the use of force documented for a hands-on situation is for those instances when hospital visits were required afterwards.

[oscarmitre]

They are used here for just about everything except hands on.

I had a thought. I don't know if we use them for this but I had a sneaky though that perhaps they will be used to build up a qualitative datbase that seeks to create profiles for apropriate use of force. I might be jumping the gun here (sorry about the pun) but what if that's why they are to be used?

Like any cop I hate paperwork and will cut corners. But for this I think I'd take time to include as much detail as possible to ensure that the right info was in the report.

Perhaps I'm being paranoid.

[txinvestigator1]

This BS is one of the reasons I got out. You guys certainly have my respect.

[TUS4]

Ghost1 is exactly right. Here we are required to submit a use of force report when any force is used apart from what is called "trifling". In any event the reports are collated by internal affairs to track, how shall we say, over enthusiastic officers.

OC spray has its on "fill in the box" report but is considered a use of force report. Reports must be submitted before the end of shift and any officer involved must submit separate reports.

As an aside here in NZ they are disclosable to defence counsel and are placed in high regard by The Police Complaints Authority, more so than the later officers statement, so Im told.

[sgtbear111]

Another pain for the Sgt. Any force used from a compliance hold, or a takedown, all the way to lethal force. The officers feared the form more than the resistance offered by the suspect. The internal use of the form was a matter officers feared, but often the concern was unfounded. Had another form for any dings to the car, another form here and another there.

Field supervision? Where is the field (what is it?) and my car to get me there? Fresh air, fresh coffee, people, sanity.....salvation.....??? Oh yes, its beyond that stack of paper betwen me and the door - help....the walls are closing in !!!

Now now sarge, this isn't going to hurt, the medicine will make you feel better.................and we will then take the padlocks off your jacket.