Use of Force Policy

Policy Number: OCP 200-21

Reference: RCW9A.16.020

I. Purpose

Olympic College employs men and women security officers to provide professional security and public safety services to the campus community. The purpose of this policy is to define the role of Olympic College safety and security staff in creating and maintaining a safe environment that recognizes and is respectful of diversity for students, staff, faculty, and visitors and encourages a free and open exchange of ideas and information.

II. Authority

Olympic College Safety and Security officers may pursue, use reasonable force on, stop, and/or detain individuals as necessary to control a situation and protect public safety consistent with the guidelines outlined in this policy and consistent with RCW 9A.16.020.

This authority carries with it the obligation to respect the rights of all members of the college community.

III. Enforcement

Although the Olympic College Safety and Security Department is charged with maintaining a safe and orderly campus environment, safety and security staff are not expected to physically engage or pursue individuals who, in their judgment and/or by the nature of the situation, would likely subject themselves or others to personal injury or risk of loss of life. Good judgment and common sense should form the fundamental basis for all decisions pertaining to pursuit, use of force, and efforts to detain.

Pursuit. Olympic College Safety and Security staff have the authority to pursue an individual if he or she fails to obey an officer’s visual or audible signal to stop.
1. The officer must have observed said individual engaging in behavior that the officer deems suspicious.
2. The officer must also be able to clearly articulate his/her suspicions.
3. Pursuit is also allowed in, but not limited to, the following situations:
  1. A misdemeanor breach of the peace or felony has been committed and the officer has probable cause to believe that the person being pursued committed it; and
  2. The officer reasonably believes pursuit is necessary to prevent injury to the individual, the officer, or to others.
Use of Force. Olympic College Safety and Security staff have the authority to use only that force reasonable and necessary to assume control of a situation. Control may be achieved through advice, warning, persuasion, and/or physical force. Reasonable and necessary physical force may be appropriate to protect the officer or others from imminent physical harm, such as in the following circumstances:
1. To detain an individual when a serious risk of injury places the officer or others at risk of injury or harm; or
2. To detain an individual when a misdemeanor breach of the peace or felony has been committed and the officer has probable cause to believe that the person being detained has committed it; or
3. When necessary when an officer makes a citizen’s arrest and is delivering that person to a public officer competent to receive him or her into custody.
Brief Stops. Olympic College Safety and Security staff have the authority to stop individuals where the officer has articulable and reasonable suspicion for such stop. The stop may be for the purpose of: obtaining information, issuing a citation, referring the individual to other authorities, or turning the individual over to law enforcement.

Recommended by Richard MacLennan, Vice President of Student Services
Submitted to President’s Cabinet for Review February, 23, 2010
Approved by President February 23, 2010
Submitted to Board of Trustees March 23, 2010
Approved by Board of Trustees April 27, 2010
Published in Washington Administrative Code n/a
Revised

Title: Use of Force Procedures

Procedure Number: OCP 200-21-01

I. Pursuit

Security personnel should weigh various factors when deciding to initiate, continue, or cancel a pursuit. Some (but not all) of the factors to consider are as follows:

Does the offense warrant a pursuit?
What is the possibility of apprehension?
What are the weather conditions?
Is immediate assistance available?
How familiar is the officer with the territory of the pursuit?
What is the time of day and what are the lighting conditions?
What is the population density of the immediate area of the pursuit?
What are the other environmental factors (e.g., inside or outside, vacant area or occupied area)?
Is the individual armed?

II. Use of Force

Use of Force Continuum. Individual circumstances will govern the appropriate order, combination and level of force to be applied to any given situation. However, a security officer should use only that level of force which the officer reasonably believes is necessary under the circumstances to control the situation. The continuum below generally describes the types of force employed by Olympic College security officers. Under unique circumstances, it may be necessary and appropriate to consider other methods or instruments of force, but only when the officer reasonably believes that such action is necessary to prevent injury or harm to the individual, the officer, or others. Disengagement is also an option which may be considered depending on the circumstances and personal risk to the security officer. Use of Force Continuum:
1. Physical presence of an Olympic College security officer in uniform;
2. Assessment of situation, call for other security or police assistance if appropriate;
3. Verbal persuasion;
4. Verbal command;
5. Conflict Resolution;
6. “Soft hands” – gentle physical contact;
7. “Hard hands” – strong physical contact used in a manner designed for greatest likelihood of compliance with least likelihood of injury;
8. Pepper spray. Pepper spray may only be used by officers who have been trained and certified by a recognized training agency with training arranged and sponsored by the College. Record of such training must be on file and a copy present in the officer’s personnel file. The use of pepper spray is limited to areas that are well ventilated and care will be taken where others are in attendance. Pepper spray will only be used to protect the public safety officer or others from imminent physical harm. Any public safety officer who is forced to rely on the use of pepper spray after exhausting all other measures, including withdrawing from the situation, must file a complete written account of the event and notify the Director of Campus Safety and Security as soon as it is prudent to do so. The Director of Campus Safety and Security will conduct a review and provide a written report to the Vice President of Student Services.
Appropriate Level of Force. The following factors provide a framework for Olympic College Safety and Security staff to assess whether use of force is necessary and to determine the appropriate level and order of force to apply in a given situation:
1. To detain an individual when a misdemeanor breach of the peace or felony has been committed or attempted in the officer’s presence;
2. To detain an individual when a misdemeanor breach of the peace or felony has been committed and the officer has probable cause to believe that the person being detained committed the felony;
3. When the officer reasonably believes use of physical force is necessary to prevent serious injury to the individual, the officer, or to others.
Documentation. An Olympic College Safety and Security officer will submit a written report to the Safety and Security Supervisor immediately following an incident where there is force applied beyond the use of “soft hands” on the use of force continuum. The report will contain the following elements:
1. Involved officer’s name;
2. Date and time of event;
3. Location of event;
4. Name or description of individuals involved in event;
5. Name(s) of other college employees involved in the event;
6. Facts and circumstances surrounding event;
7. Description of the order, level (or levels) of force, and justification for force used
8. Description of injuries or alleged injuries sustained (if applicable); and
9. Names of independent witnesses (if available)

Initiated April 27, 2010