Less Lethal Weapon

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Less Lethal Weapon The author(s) shown below used Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and prepared the following final report: Document Title: Less Lethal Weapon Effectiveness, Use of Force, and Suspect & Officer Injuries: A Five- Year Analysis Author: Charlie Mesloh ; Mark Henych ; Ross Wolf Document No.: 224081 Date Received: September 2008 Award Number: 2005-IJ-CX-K050 This report has not been published by the U.S. Department of Justice. To provide better customer service, NCJRS has made this Federally- funded grant final report available electronically in addition to traditional paper copies. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Less Lethal Weapon Effectiveness, Use of Force, and Suspect & Officer Injuries: A Five-Year Analysis A report to the National Institute of Justice CHARLIE MESLOH Florida Gulf Coast University MARK HENYCH Advanced Research Solutions ROSS WOLF University of Central Florida The project was supported by Award No. 2005-IJ-CX-K050, by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, United States Department of Justice. The opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice. This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mesloh, Henych & Wolf p. 2 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................................2 LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................................8 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................8 USE OF FORCE CONTINUUM............................................................................................................................................10 CITIZEN OVERSIGHT .......................................................................................................................................................14 ORANGE COUNTY AND ORLANDO JURISDICTIONS ..........................................................................................................15 HOW THE COURTS HAVE FRAMED POLICE USE-OF-FORCE .............................................................................................17 CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE........................................................................................................................................18 THEORETICAL FOUNDATION...........................................................................................................................................21 LESS-THAN-LETHAL WEAPON OPTIONS .........................................................................................................................22 FIVE KEY FACTORS RELATED TO SUSPECT INJURIES....................................................................................35 DEGREE OF FORCE ..........................................................................................................................................................35 AREA OF FORCE APPLICATION ........................................................................................................................................35 DURATION ......................................................................................................................................................................36 DIRECTION......................................................................................................................................................................36 DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE ..............................................................................................................................................36 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND PROJECT OVERVIEW .......................................................................................37 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS.......................................................................................................................38 DESIGN ...........................................................................................................................................................................39 DATA COLLECTION.........................................................................................................................................................39 DATA CODING ................................................................................................................................................................39 ISSUES IN DATA COLLECTION AND CODING ...................................................................................................................40 MEASUREMENT ..............................................................................................................................................................41 OVERVIEW AND DESCRIPTIONS OF KEY VARIABLES ......................................................................................................41 Suspect Demographics..............................................................................................................................................43 Officer Demographics...............................................................................................................................................46 ITERATIONS OF FORCE..............................................................................................................................................49 OFFICER AND SUSPECT USE OF FORCE/RESISTANCE VARIABLES ...................................................................................50 FIRST ITERATION ............................................................................................................................................................52 SECOND ITERATION ........................................................................................................................................................57 THIRD ITERATION ...........................................................................................................................................................60 TASER ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................................................................65 SUSPECT AND OFFICER INJURIES ..........................................................................................................................66 FORCE FACTOR AND CUMULATIVE FORCE .......................................................................................................69 This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mesloh, Henych & Wolf p. 3 FORCE FACTOR...............................................................................................................................................................70 CUMULATIVE FORCE FACTOR ........................................................................................................................................77 CHOICE MODELS..........................................................................................................................................................81 CUMULATIVE FORCE FACTOR AND INJURIES ..................................................................................................................83 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ......................................................................................................................88 IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ............................................................................................................91 APPENDIX .......................................................................................................................................................................94 CODE SHEET, PAGE 1 ......................................................................................................................................................94 CODE SHEET, PAGE 2 ......................................................................................................................................................95 CODE SHEET, PAGE 3 ......................................................................................................................................................96 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................................97
Recommended publications
  • Use of Force
    Policy Tualatin Police Department ••• Policy Manual Use of Force 300.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy recognizes that the use of force by law enforcement requires constant evaluation. Even at its lowest level, the use of force is a serious responsibility. The purpose of this policy is to provide officers of this department with guidelines on the reasonable use of force. While there is no way to specify the exact amount or type of reasonable force to be applied in any situation, each officer is expected to use these guidelines to make such decisions in a professional, impartial and reasonable manner. 300.1.1 PHILOSOPHY The use of force by law enforcement personnel is a matter of critical concern both to the public and to the law enforcement community. Officers are involved on a daily basis in numerous and varied human encounters and when warranted, may use force in carrying out their duties. Officers must have an understanding of, and true appreciation for, the limitations of their authority. This is especially true with respect to officers overcoming resistance while engaged in the performance of their duties. The Department recognizes and respects the value of all human life and dignity without prejudice to anyone. It is also understood that vesting officers with the authority to use reasonable force and protect the public welfare requires a careful balancing of all human interests. 300.1.2 DUTY TO INTERCEDE Any officer present and observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances shall, when in a position to do so, intercede to prevent the use of such excessive force.
    [Show full text]
  • Elmore Leonard, 1925-2013
    ELMORE LEONARD, 1925-2013 Elmore Leonard was born October 11, 1925 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to his father’s position working for General Motors, Leonard’s family moved numerous times during his childhood, before finally settling in Detroit, MI in 1934. Leonard went on to graduate high school in Detroit in 1943, and joined the Navy, serving in the legendary Seabees military construction unit in the Pacific theater of operations before returning home in 1946. Leonard then attended the University of Detroit, majoring in English and Philosophy. Plans to assist his father in running an auto dealership fell through on his father’s early death, and after graduating, Leonard took a job writing for an ad agency. He married (for the first of three times) in 1949. While working his day job in the advertising world, Leonard wrote constantly, submitting mainly western stories to the pulp and/or mens’ magazines, where he was establishing himself with a strong reputation. His stories also occasionally caught the eye of the entertainment industry and were often optioned for films or television adaptation. In 1961, Leonard attempted to concentrate on writing full-time, with only occasional free- lance ad work. With the western market drying up, Leonard broke into the mainstream suspense field with his first non-western novel, The Big Bounce in 1969. From that point on, his publishing success continued to increase – with both critical and fan response to his works helping his novels to appear on bestseller lists. His 1983 novel La Brava won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel of the year.
    [Show full text]
  • L3700 LETHAL WEAPON (USA, 1987) (Other Titles: Arma Lethale; Arme Fatale; Dodbringende Veben; Zwei Stahlharte Profis)
    L3700 LETHAL WEAPON (USA, 1987) (Other titles: Arma lethale; Arme fatale; Dodbringende veben; Zwei stahlharte profis) Credits: director, Richard Donner ; writer, Shane Black. Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey. Summary: Police thriller set in contemporary Los Angeles. Martin Riggs (Gibson) is no ordinary cop. He is a Vietnam veteran whose killing expertise and suicidal recklessness make him a lethal weapon to anyone he works against or with. Roger Murtaugh (Glover), also a veteran, is an easy-going homicide detective with a loving family, a big house, and a pension he does not want to lose. The only thing Murtaugh and Riggs have in common is that they hate to work with partners, but their partnership becomes the key to survival when a routine murder investigation turns into an all-out war with an international heroin ring. Ansen, David. “The arts: Movies: Urban Rambo” Newsweek 109 (May 16, 1987), p. 72. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1988] “L’Arme fatale” Cine-tele-revue 31 (Jul 30, 1987), p. 16-19. Boedeker, Hal. “Lethal weapon wastes Mel Gibson” Miami herald (Mar 6, 1987), p. 5D. Canby, Vincent. “Film view: Gun movies: Big bore and small caliber” New York times 136 (May 10, 1987), sec. 2, p. 17. Carr, Jay. “‘Lethal weapon’ is high-energy bullet ballet” Boston globe (Mar 6, 1987), Arts and film, p. 36. Christensen, Johs H. “Dodbringende veben” Levende billeder 3 (Sep 1, 1987), p. 51. Cunneff, T. [Lethal weapon] People weekly 27 (Mar 23, 1987), p. 8. Darnton, Nina. “At the movies: A new hit has the industry asking why” New York times 136 (Apr 3, 1987), p.
    [Show full text]
  • Hans Wurm’S Ringbuch C
    Hans Wurm’s Ringbuch c. 1507 - A Translation and Commentary By Keith P. Myers Exclusively for the ARMA, March 2002 The manuscript you see here is thought to have originated in approximately 1500 in the workshop of the Landshut woodcutter and printer Hans Wurm. “Landshut” could be translated as “grounds keeper”, which may go along with the description of Wurm as a “woodcutter” as well as a printer. Dr. Sydney Anglo, senior ARMA advisor and leading scholar of historical fencing, describes Wurm’s work as an “experimental and rudimentary block book”, and notes that it may have been one of the earliest printed treatises produced. The author remains anonymous, and only one copy is known to survive. It is thought to consist of the actual colored test prints made from the original wood blocks. It is unclear whether the Ringbuch was ever actually widely published. It was, however, plagiarized on at least two occasions. These later reproductions referred to the manuscript as “Das Landshuter Ringerbuch.” Although they demonstrate some dialect differences, these copies almost directly correlate with Wurm’s Ringbuch. Both likely arose independently of each other, and where based directly upon Wurm’s earlier work. The first copy is dated to approximately 1507. It does not designate the exact year, the author, the printer, or the locale. While it places the techniques in the same order as Wurm, the grapplers in the illustrations are dressed in a completely different fashion than in Wurm’s Ringbuch. The second copy is dated to approximately 1510. It originated from the Augsberg printer Hannsen Sittich.
    [Show full text]
  • Sheppard, Liebenberg to Receive Bar Honors at Oct. 20 Quarterly
    Philadelphia ® The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 37, No. 10 October 2008 Sheppard, Liebenberg to Receive Women Bar Honors at Oct. 20 Quarterly Leaders on Role, Future on Oct. 20 n By Jeff Lyons A panel of women executives from across Philadelphia will discuss the role and future of female leaders at the Associ- ation’s Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon on Monday, Oct. 20. Moderated by CBS-TV 3’s evening weekend anchor, Mary Stoker Smith, panelists include Arlene Ackerman, CEO, School District of Philadelphia; Nina M. Gussack, chair, executive commit- tee, Pepper Hamilton LLP; Tara Weiner, managing partner of the Philadelphia office of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP; Women in the Profession Committee Co-Chair Danielle Banks (left) joins Co-Chair Maria A. Feeley (right) in congratulat- and Ahmeenah Young, president and ing Roberta D. Liebenberg on being named the recipient of the 2008 Sandra Day O’Connor Award. CEO, Pennsylvania Convention Center state or federal bench, whether active Authority. n By Jeff Lyons or retired, who has made a significant, “Oct. 20 will be a day to salute the positive impact on the quality or ad- ongoing role of women in the profession Philadelphia Court of Common ministration of justice in Philadelphia is continued on page 17 Pleas Senior Judge Albert W. Sheppard eligible for consideration. Examples of Jr. and former Women in the Profes- accomplishments worthy of nomination sion Committee Co-Chair Roberta D. include innovations in court administra- In This Issue Liebenberg will be presented with two of tion, implementation of pioneering case 4 Chancellor’s Forum the Association’s most prestigious awards management techniques, assumption at the Monday, Oct.
    [Show full text]
  • Study of Deaths Following Electro Muscular Disruption
    U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs MAY 2011 National Institute of Justice Special REPORT Study of Deaths Following Electro Muscular Disruption www.nij.gov Office of Justice Programs Innovation • Partnerships • Safer Neighborhoods www.ojp.usdoj.gov U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street N.W. Washington, DC 20531 Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson Assistant Attorney General John H. Laub Director, National Institute of Justice This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found at: National Institute of Justice www.nij.gov Office of Justice Programs Innovation • Partnerships • Safer Neighborhoods www.ojp.usdoj.gov MAY 2011 Study of Deaths Following Electro Muscular Disruption NCJ 233432 John H. Laub Director, National Institute of Justice Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position and policies of their respective organizations or the U. S. Department of Justice. The products, manufacturers and organizations discussed in this document are presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U. S. Department of Justice. The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the Community Capacity Development Office; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). Study of Deaths Following Electro Muscular Disruption ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The National Institute of Justice gratefully acknowledges the following individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Living in Two Worlds
    LIVING IN TWO WORLDS JOHN HERON ENDYMION PRESS AUCKLAND LIVING IN TWO WORLDS Free from copyright by John Heron 2006 Third edition No rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or utilized in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the Author. This book was first published as Confessions of a Janus-Brain: A Personal Account of Living in Two Worlds by Endymion Press, London, in 1987. The text was substantially revised and enlarged in 1994, and made available as an e-book at www.human-inquiry.com in 2003, with the title Experience of the Subtle Realms. The current version, Living in Two Worlds, is thus the third edition. For the companion volumes, see Heron, J., Sacred Science: Person-centred Inquiry into the Spiritual and the Subtle, Ross-on-Wye, PCCS Books, 1998; and Heron, J., Cosmic Psychology, Auckland, Endymion Press, 2006. Living in Two Worlds Published by: Endymion Press 11 Bald Hill Road R.D.1 Kaukapakapa 0871 New Zealand Foreword This book is a personal account of my experience of the subtle dimensions of existence, the lower subtle and the higher subtle realms, as these are defined by contemporary cartographers of transpersonal states (e.g. Grof, 1988). A lot of my reports are about ways in which the subtle realms interact with ordinary life, so that one is effectively living in two sorts of world at once, the subtle ones and the physical one. In running workshops in this field, I have been struck by how many people need legit- imation for subtle experiences which they have had, but which cannot be categorized in terms of the belief-systems of our dominant culture.
    [Show full text]
  • JUDO Under the Authority of the Bakersfield Judo Club
    JUDO Under the Authority of the Bakersfield Judo Club Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30 -8:00 PM Location: CSUB Wrestling Room Instructors: Michael Flachmann (4th Dan) Phone: 661-654-2121 Steve Walsh (1st Dan) Guest Instructors: Dale Kinoshita (5th Dan) Phone: (work) 834-7570 (home) 837-0152 Brett Sakamoto (4th Dan) Gustavo Sanchez (1st Dan) The Bakersfield Judo Club rd meets twice a week on 23 St / Hwy 178 Mondays and Thursdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. JUDO Club They practice under the 2207 ‘N’ Authority of Kinya th 22nd St Sakamoto, Rokudan (6 Degree Black Belt), at 2207 N St. ’ St Q ‘N’ St ‘ Chester Ave Truxtun Ave Etiquette: Salutations: Pronunciation: Ritsurei Standing Bow a = ah (baa) Zarei Sitting Bow e = eh (kettle) Seiza Sitting on Knees i = e (key) o = oh (hole) When to Bow: u = oo (cool) Upon entering or exiting the dojo. Upon entering or exiting the tatami. Definitions: Before class begins and after class ends. Judo “The Gentle Way” Before and after working with a partner. Judoka Judo Practitioner Sensei Instructor Where to sit: Dojo Practice Hall Kamiza (Upper Seat) for senseis. Kiotsuke ATTENTION! Shimoza (Lower Seat) for students. Rei Command to Bow Joseki – Right side of Shimoza Randori Free practice Shimoseki – Left side of Shimoza Uchi Komi “Fitting in” or “turning in” practice Judo Gi: Students must learn the proper Tatami Judo mat way to war the gi and obi. Students should Kiai Yell also wear zoris when not on the mat. Hajime Begin Matte STOP! Kata Fromal Exercises Tori Person practicing Students must have technique Uke Person being their own personal practiced on health and injury O Big or Major insurance.
    [Show full text]
  • Frequent Monitoring and Behavioral Assessment: Keys to the Care of the Intoxicated Patient
    REVIEWS & ANALYSES Frequent Monitoring and Behavioral Assessment: Keys to the Care of the Intoxicated Patient Mary C. Magee, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS INTRODUCTION Senior Patient Safety/Quality Analyst Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority Intoxicated patients and those under the influence of alcohol, regardless of care setting, pose unique challenges to healthcare providers, who must manage patient Timothy Horine, BSN, RN Staff Nurse, Neuro-Cardiac ICU aggression, gain cooperation with treatments, and monitor the patient for changes in Main Line Health-Bryn Mawr Hospital condition, including gradual or acute deterioration. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 38.3% of the world’s popula- ABSTRACT tion drinks alcohol. Individuals older than 15 years drink 6.2 liters on average per Worldwide, harmful use of alcohol year, and globally, harmful use of alcohol causes about 3.3 million (5.9%) deaths every causes more than 3 million deaths per year.1 Two-thirds of American adults consume alcohol, up to 10% abuse it, and acute year. Two-thirds of American adults intoxication is associated with traffic accidents, domestic violence, homicide, and sui- consume alcohol and up to 10% cide.2 A 2014 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services abuse it. In the United States every Administration (SAMHSA) noted that “24.7% of people ages 18 or older reported year, more than 600,000 emergency that they engaged in binge drinking* in the past month; 6.7% reported they engaged department visits are related to alco- in heavy drinking in the past month.”4 In the United States, it is estimated that hol intoxication.
    [Show full text]
  • L3702 LETHAL WEAPON 2 (USA, 1989) (Other Titles: Arma Lethale 2; Arme Fatale 2; Brennpunkt L.A.; Dodbringende Veben 2)
    L3702 LETHAL WEAPON 2 (USA, 1989) (Other titles: Arma lethale 2; Arme fatale 2; Brennpunkt L.A.; Dodbringende veben 2) Credits: director, Richard Donner ; writer, Jeffrey Boam. Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland. Summary: Police thriller set in contemporary Los Angeles. Detectives Riggs (Gibson) and Murtaugh (Glover) must guard a free-wheeling witness (Pesci) in a drug money laundering scheme run by South African diplomats. A comedy of car chases, gun battles, and under-water escapes. Ansen, David. “The arts: Movies: Gibson and Glover return: ‘Lethal weapon 2’ serves up sadism with a smile” 114 Newsweek (Jul 17, 1989), p. 53. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1990] Avins, Mimi. “Shot by shot” Premiere 2/12 (Aug 1989), p. 72-6. Baumann, Paul D. “Screen: Scorching the screen” Commonweal 116 (Oct 6, 1989), p. 529-30. Blair, Iain. “Movies: Mel’s lethal appeal: He’s got killer looks, but shucks, Gibson’s just one of the guys” Chicago tribune (Jul 9, 1989), Arts, p. 4. Blois, Marco de. “Lethal weapon II” 24 images 44-45 (autumn 1989), p. 109. Broeske, Pat H. “A high-caliber Danny Glover” Los Angeles times (Jul 11, 1989), Calendar, p. 1. “Business: Talk about placements” Newsweek 114 (Jul 31, 1989), p. 50. Carr, Jay. “Three stooges with guns” Boston globe (Jul 7, 1989), Arts and film, p. 41. Christensen, Johs H. “Dodbringende veben 2” Levende billeder 5 (Sep 1989), p. 47. Clark, Mike. “‘Lethal 2’ is loaded with bang and blanks” USA today (Jul 7, 1989), p. 1D. Cliff, Paul. “Movie trax” Film monthly 1 (Dec 1989), p.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of Militarization and Use of Force
    LIVING IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY: A STUDY OF MILITARIZATION AND USE OF FORCE Cori Pryor A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2020 Committee: Thomas Mowen, Advisor Steve Demuth Danielle Kuhl ii ABSTRACT Thomas Mowen, Advisor Police militarization is happening on a widespread scale across the United States. However, very little is known about its relationship with use of force. At the same time, there has been a growing focus on community policing. Given the concurrent establishment of both of these trends, it is problematic that we do not know how these two tactics interplay with one another, especially in regard to use of force. Additionally, though force is thought to be a mechanism of social control that is unequally distributed in nonwhite communities, studies examining the link between militarization and use of force have yet to include race/ethnicity into their analysis. This paper attempts to address this important gap in the literature by examining the relationship between militarization and use of force through the lens of minority threat theory. I use data from Law Enforcement Management and Statistics 2013, American Community Survey 2009, and Uniform Crime Reports 2013, as well as item response theory and multivariate regression techniques to study this relationship. Results show that militarization is positive and significantly related to the number of use of force incidents recorded by an agency. Additionally, community policing shares a positive and significant relationship with use of force. However, neither racial demographics nor community policing moderate the relationship between militarization and use of force.
    [Show full text]
  • Denver Police Department Operations Manual
    Denver Police Department Operations Manual 100.00 - Patrol Division and General Procedures 105.00 Use of Force 105.02 Less Lethal Force and Control Options (1) POLICY: The primary duty of police officers is to protect the public, themselves and other officers. Less lethal force and control options may assist officers in performing these duties, but are not intended to substitute for the use of deadly force when it is reasonable and necessary. There is neither a requirement nor an expectation that officers attempt to use or exhaust less lethal options in situations requiring the use of deadly force. (2) LESS LETHAL OPTIONS The Denver Police Department authorizes the use of Electronic Restraints Devices (ERD)/TASER, Pepper Ball deployment systems, twelve (12) gauge and forty (40) mm specialty impact munitions to be carried by certain officers in their normal duty assignments. (3) LESS LETHAL WEAPONS DEFINITIONS a. Less lethal: A concept of planning and force application which meets an operational or tactical objective, with less potential for causing death or serious injury than conventional more lethal police tactics. b. Less lethal weapon: Any apprehension or restraint device approved for carry, which when used as designed and intended has less potential for causing death or serious injury than conventional police lethal weapons. Less lethal weapons include Electronic Restraints Devices (ERD/TASER), Pepper Ball deployment systems, less lethal twelve (12) gauge shotguns and forty (40) mm projectile systems and others as approved by the Chief of Police. c. Less lethal officer: An officer trained in the principles of less lethal force and the use of less lethal weapons.
    [Show full text]