5-302 - Use of Force Reporting

1. Recording, analyzing, and acting on quality data is critical for MPD to make data-driven decisions that are shaped by public safety needs and respect for the sanctity of life, and are free from discrimination.
2. These reporting requirements are designed to provide MPD with the information necessary to:

• Ensure supervisors receive timely notification so they can complete force reviews, which are essential in ensuring compliance with policy and identifying necessary corrective action.
• Determine whether or not the use of force was objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional in accordance with P&P 5-301.
• Determine the effectiveness of policy, training, tactics, and supervision.
• Provide for community and MPD member safety.
• Hold members and supervisors accountable.
• Provide the community with accurate information regarding use of force by MPD members.

Actions Not Requiring Force Reporting

1. The following listed actions do not require any reporting (Use of Force details page, Narrative Text or supervisor notification) unless they result in an injury or complaint of injury or pain:

• Control or escort holds.
• Touch contact.

2. Handcuff use requires a Narrative Text and a checkbox on the Entity page in the Police Report, but does not require a Use of Force details page or supervisor notification unless it results in injury or complaint of injury (see section [IV]).

Level 1 Reportable Force

Level 1 definition and types

Level 1 reportable force involves low levels of force that could reasonably cause transitory pain but do not result in injury or complaint of injury or pain, and also includes the display of firearms, the pointing of firearms, and the pointing of certain intermediate weapons. Level 1 types of force include:

• Displaying a firearm when engaged with any subject.
• Pointing a firearm at a person.
• Pointing an impact projectile launcher at a person.
• Performing a CEW warning alert, when engaged with a subject.
• Pointing a CEW at a person.
• Laser painting a person with a CEW or other weapon or device.
• Pointing a hand-held chemical aerosol at a person.
• Pressure point compliance techniques.
• Joint manipulations (including wristlocks, armbars, etc.).
• Weaponless defense techniques such as shoves.
• Body weight to pin.
• Control pressure.
• Using an authorized or improvised tool to push a person without striking (such as baton pushes and baton shoves, and shoves with a shield).
• Any other use of force that does not rise to a level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force.

Reporting firearm display and pointing for specific tactical operations

1. A member engaged in the execution of a building search warrant or engaged in an Operation 100 shall be required to report level 1 reportable force involving displaying or pointing a firearm only when it involves a sustained active engagement with a person to gain that person’s compliance.
2. A member who quickly “sweeps” a room during a building search warrant, alarm call, hot call, or Operation 100 is not required to report each person at whom a firearm was momentarily pointed during the sweep. The circumstances of the sweep shall be described in the Narrative Text or call notes (if a Police Report is not required).

Level 2 Reportable Force

Level 2 definitions and types

Level 2 reportable force involves the use of an intermediate weapon, weaponless strikes in specific situations, or force that causes injury or complaint of injury or pain but does not rise to level 3 reportable force. Level 2 types of force include:

• Discharging a chemical aerosol.
• Deploying a CEW.
• Weaponless strikes other than the following which must be reported as level 3 reportable force ([II-D]):

• Level 3: Weaponless strikes to the head or neck if the person’s head is near a hard surface.
• Level 3: Knee strikes or kicks to the head or neck.
• Level 3: Weaponless strikes to the throat.

• Baton strikes and improvised weapon strikes to any part of the body other than the head, neck, throat, face, sternum, armpit, spine, kidneys, or groin.
• Impact projectile that does not impact the head, neck, throat, face, chest, armpit, spine, or groin.
• Chemical munition use.

• Canine apprehension.
• Any reportable force against a handcuffed person other than control pressure (see section [IV] for additional requirements).

• Flash sound distraction device (FSDD) use.
• Takedowns (including leg sweeps, vehicle extractions to the ground, and baton pushes, baton shoves, and shoves with a shield that result in the person ending up on the ground or floor).
• Use of any other intermediate weapon.

• A control or escort hold, touch contact, handcuff use, or other action that results in an injury or complaint of injury or pain.

• Any use of force by an MPD member that results in injury or complaint of injury or pain, except level 3 reportable force.

• This includes aggravation of a preexisting injury.

• Physical contact with the neck during a use of force, including incidental contact and touching, that does not amount to level 3 reportable force.

• This does not include neck contact during a medical assessment such as checking someone’s pulse.

Level 3 Reportable Force

Level 3 definition and types

Level 3 reportable force involves force that causes substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death, and other specified actions below:

• Deadly force.
• Using a vehicle to make intentional contact with a person.
• Using a vehicle to strike another vehicle.
• Using a baton or an improvised weapon to strike a person’s head, neck, throat, face, sternum, armpit, spine, kidneys, or groin.
• Impact projectile use that impacts the head, neck, throat, face, chest, armpit, spine, or groin.
• Breaching round use that impacts a person.
• Weaponless strikes to the head or neck if the person’s head is near a hard surface.
• Knee strikes or kicks to the head or neck.
• Weaponless strikes to the throat.
• Energizing a CEW on a person for more than fifteen total seconds.
• Force associated with or resulting in loss of consciousness, substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death.
• Any force that causes injury resulting in admission to a hospital.

No review of recordings

For critical incidents, the procedures relating to review of audio and visual data in P&P 7-810 apply. In situations that are not critical incidents, members who use or are physically present and observe level 3 reportable force shall not review any recordings including body worn camera footage prior to being interviewed or completing use of force documentation, unless doing so is necessary to address an immediate threat to life or safety while in the field. This does not prohibit supervisors from reviewing recordings when conducting their required reviews (P&P 5-303).

Members who use or are physically present and observe level 3 reportable force may review the recordings after being interviewed and after making their initial Police Report. They may add an additional Narrative text after review but shall not alter the initial report and shall note that the additional Narrative text was made after viewing the recordings (P&P 4-223).

Reporting Prohibited Force

The following types of force are prohibited (P&P 5-304). Nevertheless, reporting requirements for these prohibited types of force are as follows:

1. Maximal restraint techniques shall be reported and reviewed as level 2 reportable force.

2. Neck restraints, including choke holds, shall be reported and reviewed as level 3 reportable force.

Supervisor Notification of Force

The member who used a reportable use of force shall remain on scene and immediately make direct contact with a supervisor by phone or radio, so the supervisor can fulfill their responsibilities. If the scene is not safe, the member may move to a safer location no farther than necessary from the scene, and shall document the circumstances in their report.

Reporting Force Used in PIMS

1. The member who used a reportable use of force shall complete a Police Report including the code “FORCE,” a Use of Force details page (accounting for each reportable use of force), and a Narrative Text.

2. When documenting force in an incident through a Narrative Text with a Police Report or Street Check, members shall describe in the narrative:

• The reason for the initial interaction (whether it was a stop, arrest, other enforcement action or other type of encounter).
• A specific description of the person’s behavior prior to the use of force and throughout the encounter.
• The alleged offenses of the person force was used on.
• If the person was engaged in any first amendment-protected activity, a description of the activity.
• Known or perceived information regarding the person’s mental health or medical condition, disability, difficulty understanding verbal commands, and use of drugs or alcohol.
• Any efforts to de-escalate prior to the use of force and throughout the encounter.
• An explanation of why any de-escalation techniques or tactics were determined to be not feasible.
• A thorough and complete description of each use of force by the member.
• The circumstances and factors the member considered for each use of force.

• How the person’s behavior and circumstances changed after each use of force.
• How changes or lack of changes in the person’s behavior and circumstances contributed to the member’s use of force considerations.
• Why each use of force used was objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional under the totality of the circumstances (including each strike, deployment or other use of an empty hand technique or weapon).

• If the person was injured, displayed signs of an injury, or complained of an injury, and the nature of the injuries. This includes pre-existing injuries aggravated by, or injuries suffered as the result of, the force used.
• If medical aid was rendered, and if so whether or not Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was called, and whether or not the member who used force was the same member who rendered aid or called EMS.
• If medical aid was rendered, whether or not the person was transported to the hospital, and if so:

• Whether or not the transportation was because of force used.
• Whether MPD, EMS or another agency made the transport.

• Whether or not there are BWC or in-car camera recordings, and whether or not the member viewed the recordings prior to completing their use of force documentation.

3. Members shall use specific and descriptive language, individualized to the circumstances, and shall not use only boilerplate language when describing the incident.
4. Any time a Use of Force details page is required for an incident, the member shall also complete the de-escalation section in the Use of Force details page.
5. See the restrictions in in the section on level 3 reportable force regarding review of video ([II-D-2]).

Complaint of Injury or Pain from Force

1. If the person complains of injury or pain from force, and the member visibly identifies an injury, the force shall be reported as level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force.

2. If the person complains of pain or injury from force and the member does not visibly identify an injury, then the member shall ask the person the following or similar questions to identify if a reportable injury occurred:

1. Do you feel like you have a broken bone, or pulled or sprained muscle, tendon or ligament, related to the use of force?

2. Do you have persistent pain, numbness or tingling related to the use of force?
3. Do you have any prior injuries or conditions related to the area of pain that were aggravated by the use of force?
4. Do you feel you need immediate medical attention or an ambulance?

3. If the person answers “yes” to any of those questions, medical treatment shall be provided in accordance with P&P 7-350 and the force shall be reported as level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force.

Reporting Observed Force in Non-Critical Incidents

Any member who is physically present and observes another member use level 2 reportable force or non-critical incident level 3 reportable force shall accurately and thoroughly describe the use of force in their Narrative Text.

Force Reporting Timeliness

1. In critical incidents, force reporting shall be done in accordance with P&P 7-810. When a Police Report is required in accordance with P&P 7-810, any associated force reports shall be completed at the same time as the required Police Report.

2. In all other cases, all required force reporting, including by members who used force and by members who observed force, shall be completed as soon as practical, but no later than the end of the shift. Members needing medical attention may be granted an appropriate extension of the deadline.

Prohibition on Joint Narrative Writing

1. Members shall complete use of force reports and documentation truthfully, based on their own recollection of the incident and from their own perspective. Members may review body worn camera (BWC) footage to aid in their documentation for level 1 reportable force and level 2 reportable uses of force (see the level 3 reportable force restrictions in [II-D-2]).
2. Members are prohibited from sharing information about the use of force with another member for the purpose of justifying their use of force. This does not prohibit on-scene communication such as scene management, on-scene assessments, tactical debriefs, and sharing information with a supervisor as part of a notification or force review (P&P 5-303).

3. In circumstances where multiple members report on a use of force, the review process recognizes that different members may have varying information and recollections. Accordingly, differences in reporting do not automatically indicate a lack of truthfulness (P&P 5-303).
4. These prohibitions do not apply to Field Training Officers (FTOs) when they perform their duties in educating their Officers in Training (OITs) on how to articulate their use of force, accurately recall the incident, and write a better report. In doing so, FTOs shall not direct the OIT to alter facts of their report.

Police Report Required

1. A Police Report is required for any incident involving handcuff use. The circumstances necessitating handcuffing shall be documented in a Narrative Text.

2. The application of handcuffs shall be marked in the corresponding box on the Entity page for each person handcuffs were applied to, subject to the exception for mass arrests below.
3. If there is no associated offense code, the report should use a code that corresponds to the problem nature code or if not applicable, the code MISC.
4. Handcuff use does not require the code FORCE or a Use of Force details page unless it results in an injury or complaint of injury or pain.

Injuries From Handcuff Use

1. If handcuffs themselves or the act of handcuffing result in an injury, complaint of injury or pain, or aggravation of a preexisting injury, then the handcuff use shall be reported as level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force.

2. A complaint solely of discomfort from handcuff use (as defined below) shall not be considered reportable force.
3. To determine if a complaint of injury or pain from handcuffing or handcuffs should be reported as level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force members shall do the following:

1. Remedy any issues with spacing or application when safe to do so, and then ask the person if they still feel pain or discomfort.

2. If the person is still feeling pain or discomfort, the member shall ask the person the following or similar questions:

1. Do you feel like you have a broken bone, or a pulled or sprained muscle, tendon or ligament, related to the handcuff use?
2. Do you have persistent numbness or tingling related to the handcuff use?
3. Do you have any prior injuries or conditions related to the area of pain that were aggravated by the handcuff use?
4. Do you feel you need immediate medical attention or an ambulance?

3. If the person answers “yes” to any of those questions, medical treatment shall be provided in accordance with P&P 7-350 and the handcuff use shall be reported as level 2 reportable force or level 3 reportable force.
4. If the answers are “no,” the complaint may be considered a complaint of discomfort from handcuff use.

Reporting Handcuff Use in Mass Arrests

See P&P 7-805 for special conditions that apply to reporting handcuff use in mass arrests (when authorized by the Chief or an Assistant Chief or Deputy Chief).

When an MPD-issued Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) is used during the scope of off-duty employment outside of Minneapolis (i.e. for another law enforcement agency), the member shall obtain a Minneapolis CCN from MECC and complete a Police Report with the code AOA and refer to the outside employer’s incident report in the Narrative Text.

The member shall then download the device and store the information under the Minneapolis CCN (the MPD CEW must be approved for use with the outside agency in the required Letter of Agreement per P&P 3-801).

This process is to ensure MPD’s documentation includes a record of the device use.

• Baton: A handheld, rigid, stick-like intermediate weapon. Batons are typically made of materials such as wood and metal, and come in various lengths and styles. (See the specifications section in P&P 5-310 for authorized types)
• Baton Pushes: A gentle or moderate force, applied with two hands on the baton, to a person who offers minimal or no resistance. A baton push is intended to create space, guide or move someone but is not as forceful as a shove or a strike.
• Baton Shoves: A more forceful push applied with two hands on the baton, intended to suddenly displace someone or disrupt their balance. It is more aggressive than a push, but does not involve the deliberate blow of a strike.
• Baton Strikes: A deliberate hit or blow intended to cause injury or pain. Baton strikes are more aggressive and are meant to achieve pain compliance or incapacitate the person.
• Bodily Harm: Physical pain or injury, illness, or any impairment of physical condition.
• Body Weight to Pin: Using body weight to pin a person to the ground or floor, or to a fixed object while the person is lying down.
• Body Worn Camera: Portable audio-video recording equipment designed to be worn on a person.
• Canine Apprehension: When a police canine makes physical contact with the person or bites the person, in an effort to take them into custody.
• CEW: An intermediate weapon ("Conducted Energy Weapon") that is designed to temporarily incapacitate a person from a distance, using an electrical current for neuromuscular incapacitation.
• CEW Warning Alert: Un-holstering the CEW and activating the alert for purposes of threatening its use prior to actual deployment. The warning alert is intended to be an effort to gain compliance without deploying probes.
• Chemical Aerosol: Aerosol, hand-held, pressurized, containerized chemical aerosol agents that emit a stream or vapor. (P&P 5-308)
• Chemical Munition: Munitions designed to deliver chemical munition agents from a launcher or be propelled by hand. (P&P 5-313)
• Choke Hold: A method by which a person applies sufficient pressure to a person to make breathing difficult or impossible, including but not limited to any pressure to the neck, throat, or windpipe that may prevent or hinder breathing, or reduce intake of air. A choke hold also means applying pressure to a person's neck on either side of the windpipe, but not to the windpipe itself, to stop the flow of blood to the brain via the carotid arteries. (MN Statute section 609.06 Subd. 3 (b))
• Complaint of Discomfort from Handcuff Use:

  A complaint that applies when all of the following are true:

  • The complaint was not a result of resisted handcuffing.
  • Any issues with spacing and application were immediately remedied by the member when safe to do so.
  • The handcuff use did not cause an injury (see the handcuffing section [IV] in P&P 5-302).
• Complaint of Injury or Pain: A person's claim or expression of pain or injury. The complaint does not necessarily have to be associated with a visible injury.
• Conducted Energy Weapon: An intermediate weapon ("CEW") that is designed to temporarily incapacitate a person from a distance, using an electrical current for neuromuscular incapacitation.
• Control or Escort Holds: Temporary holding of part of the person's body, such as the hand, wrist, arm or shoulder, to physically control or direct the person.
• Control Pressure: Pressing a person into a fixed object, while the person is not lying down (such as applying pressure while the person is against a vehicle or building).
• Critical Incident:

  An incident involving any of the following situations occurring in the line of duty:

  • The use of Deadly Force by or against a Minneapolis Police Officer
  • Death or Great Bodily Harm to an officer
  • Death or Great Bodily Harm to a person who is in the custody or control of an officer
  • Any action by an officer that causes or is intended to cause Death or Great Bodily Harm
• Deadly Force: "Force which the actor uses with the purpose of causing, or which the actor should reasonably know creates a substantial risk of causing death or great bodily harm. The intentional discharge of a firearm other than a firearm loaded with less-lethal munitions and used by a peace officer within the scope of official duties, in the direction of another person, or at a vehicle in which another person is believed to be, constitutes deadly force." (MN Statute section 609.066)
• De-escalation: Techniques and tactics to reduce the intensity of a situation. These strategies serve to increase the likelihood of voluntary compliance, minimize the need to use force, and uphold the sanctity of life by enabling members to resolve situations without the use of force or with the lowest degree of force necessary. (P&P 7-802)
• Deploy a CEW: Using the trigger on the CEW, resulting in the ejection of probes.
• Direct Contact: In person or telephone communication between an individual delivering a message and an individual intended to receive the message (Does not include voice mail, or second party messages).
• Discharge Chemical Aerosols: Using the actuator to release the contents from the canister, regardless of whether it impacts the intended person.
• Displaying a Firearm: Displaying means having a firearm in hand, while engaged with a subject. For a handgun, this means having it fully out of the holster (including the holster index position), while engaged with a subject. This does not include having the handgun holster ready. For larger firearms such as rifles, this means having it in hand (slung or unslung), while engaged with a subject.
• Empty Hand Technique:

  Force that employs the member's own body as the mechanism of force (also called bodily force). Empty hand techniques do not include the use of an intermediate or improvised weapon. (P&P 5-306) Empty hand techniques include the following:

  1. Body Weight to Pin: Using body weight to pin a person to the ground or floor, or to a fixed object while the person is lying down.
  2. Control Pressure: Pressing a person into a fixed object, while the person is not lying down (such as applying pressure while the person is against a vehicle or building).
  3. Control or Escort Hold: Temporary holding of part of the person's body, such as the hand, wrist, arm or shoulder, to physically control or direct the person.
  4. Joint Manipulation: Forcefully controlling a person's joint to limit or direct movement. This also includes locks such as wristlocks, armbars, shoulder locks, joint locks, etc.
  5. Pressure Point Compliance: Directed touch pressure that is delivered to gain compliance and may result in brief transitory pain.
  6. Shove: A forceful or severe push, intended to suddenly displace the person or disrupt their balance. Shove does not involve the deliberate blow of a strike.
  7. Takedown: Bodily force used by the member that compels a standing or seated person to the ground or floor, or forceful actions that result in the person ending up on the ground or floor (whether intentional or unintentional).
     1. Two-officer or single-officer takedown.
     2. A push, pull or shove (including baton pushes and baton shoves) that results in the person ending up on the ground or floor.
     3. A vehicle extraction that ends on the ground or floor.
     4. Tackling the person.
     5. A leg sweep.
  8. Touch Contact: Gentle or moderate force applied to a person who offers minimal or no resistance. Touch is intended to create space, guide or move someone, but is not forceful.
  9. Weaponless Strike: A deliberate hit or blow intended to cause injury or pain. Strikes are more aggressive and are intended to achieve pain compliance or incapacitate the person. Strikes can involve a kick, punch, slap, knee, or any similar action.
• Engaged with a Subject: Treating someone as a potential suspect or dealing with a person who is the focus of law enforcement attention in an incident. An example of a person who is the focus of law enforcement attention is a person in crisis who may not be suspected of committing a crime.
• Feasible: Objectively reasonably capable of being safely done or carried out.
• Firearms/Ammunition/Firearm Accessories: A device that projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity. Ammunition is a term meaning the assembly of a projectile and its propellant. Accessories include but are not limited to holsters, gun cases, firearm optics, suppression devices, cleaning supplies, etc.
• First Amendment-Protected Activity:

  First Amendment activities include all forms of speech and expressive conduct used to convey ideas and/or information, express grievances, or otherwise communicate with others and include both verbal and non-verbal expression.

  1. Common First Amendment activities include, but are not limited to:
     • Speeches
     • Demonstrations
     • Vigils
     • Picketing
     • Distribution of literature
     • Displaying banners or signs
     • Street theater
     • Other artistic forms of expression
  2. All these activities involve the freedom of speech, association, and assembly and the right to petition the government, as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Minnesota State Constitution.
  3. The government may impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, or manner of protected speech, provided the restrictions are justified without reference to the content of the regulated speech, that they are narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest, and that they leave open ample alternative channels for communication of the information.
• Flash Sound Distraction Device: A device (also called a "flash-bang" device) that deflagrates and produces a loud bang with a brilliant light that is intended to cause confusion and distraction to provide a tactical team with a few seconds of advantage. (P&P 5-314)
• Great Bodily Harm: Bodily injury which creates a high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent disfigurement, or which causes a permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or other serious bodily harm (MN Statute section 609.02 Subd. 8).
• Hard Surface: Any surface that is unyielding or unlikely to absorb any meaningful force or impact. For example, concrete, frozen ground, wood surfaces, metal surfaces, etc.
• Impact Projectile: An object launched from a tool designed to incapacitate the person or achieve pain compliance, exclusively through blunt-force trauma of kinetic energy from the mass of the projectile. Impact projectiles include the 40mm round and the bean bag round fired from a bean bag shotgun. (P&P 5-307)
• Impact Projectile Launcher: The authorized tool designed to launch impact projectiles. This includes, but is not limited to, the 40mm launcher and the bean bag shotgun. (P&P 5-307)
• Intermediate Weapon: Weapons that are not intended to cause death or serious physical injury and are not empty hand techniques. These include CEWs, chemical aerosols, chemical munitions, impact projectiles, and batons.
• Laser Painting: Un-holstering and pointing a CEW at a person and activating the laser aiming device. In some cases, this may be effective at gaining compliance without having to actually deploy probes. Also known as "red dotting".
• Level 1 Reportable Force: Level 1 reportable force involves low levels of force that are reasonably expected to cause transitory pain but do not result in injury or complaint of injury or pain, and also includes the display of firearms, the pointing of firearms, and the pointing of certain intermediate weapons. See the reporting requirements for included types (P&P 5-302 section [II-B]).
• Level 2 Reportable Force: Level 2 reportable force involves the use of an intermediate weapon, weaponless strikes in specific situations, or force that causes injury or complaint of injury or pain but does not rise to level 3 reportable force. See the reporting requirements for included types (P&P 5-302 section [II-C]).
• Level 3 Reportable Force: Level 3 reportable force involves force that causes substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death, and other specified actions (P&P 5-302 section [II-D]).
• MECC: Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center is the city's 911 center that answers emergency and non-emergency calls and coordinates the appropriate response by public safety services.
• Near a Hard Surface: If a person is "near a hard surface," that means that a weaponless strike to that person's head would cause a direct and immediate impact with the hard surface as a result of the strike. For example, if the person is against a car or lying on the street.
• Neck Restraint: A method by which a person applies sufficient pressure to a person to make breathing difficult or impossible, including but not limited to any pressure to the neck, throat, or windpipe that may prevent or hinder breathing, or reduce intake of air. A choke hold also means applying pressure to a person's neck on either side of the windpipe, but not to the windpipe itself, to stop the flow of blood to the brain via the carotid arteries. (MN Statute section 609.06 Subd. 3 (b))
• Operation 100: An Operation 100 is a SWAT callout where on or off-duty SWAT Tactical, Negotiators, and Tech Team members respond to a hostile event, such as an active shooter or a barricaded suspect, which exceeds the capabilities of traditional law enforcement first responders and investigators.
• Pointing a CEW: Directing a CEW towards a person, with the intent to use or imply the use of the weapon.
• Pointing a Firearm: Directing a firearm towards a person, with the intent to use or imply the use of the firearm.
• Pointing a Hand-Held Chemical Aerosol: Directing a hand-held chemical aerosol towards a person, with the intent to use or imply the use of the weapon.
• Pointing an Impact Projectile Launcher: Directing an impact projectile launcher towards a person, with the intent to use or imply the use of the weapon.
• Police Report: A report or statement in a report that sets forth the officer's account of an incident and is entered into the MPD's Records Management System.
• Pressure Point Compliance: Directed touch pressure that is delivered to gain compliance and may result in brief transitory pain.
• Reportable Force: Force used that is required to be reported in accordance with the policy on Use of Force Reporting (P&P 5-302).
• Search Warrant: A document issued by the Court authorizing the police to enter and search a person, premises, location or vehicle for purposes of evidence recovery.
• Shove: A forceful or severe push, intended to suddenly displace the person or disrupt their balance. Shove does not involve the deliberate blow of a strike.
• Substantial Bodily Harm: Bodily injury which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes a temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or which causes a fracture of any bodily member (MN Statute section 609.02 Subd. 7a).
• Takedown:

  Bodily force used by the member that compels a standing or seated person to the ground or floor, or forceful actions that result in the person ending up on the ground or floor (whether intentional or unintentional).

  Examples of actions that constitute takedowns include, but are not limited to:

  1. Two-officer or single-officer takedown
  2. A push, pull or shove (including baton pushes and baton shoves) that results in the person ending up on the ground or floor
  3. A vehicle extraction that ends on the ground or floor
  4. Tackling the person
  5. A leg sweep
• Totality of the Circumstances: All facts known to the member at the time, including the conduct of both the member and the person leading up to the action (such as the use of force).
• Touch Contact: Gentle or moderate force applied to a person who offers minimal or no resistance. Touch is intended to create space, guide or move someone, but is not forceful.
• Transitory Pain: Pain that is temporary and short-lived (fleeting) and resolves quickly once the underlying cause is addressed or ceases. Examples can include pinched skin, a stubbed toe, a knock on the "funny bone," etc.
• Use of Force:

  An intentional contact, directly or indirectly (such as through a weapon or force device), with someone’s body, that causes pain or injury or restricts, controls or directs someone’s movement. Intentionally placing someone in fear of such contact or threatening such contact can also constitute force. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • The use of any weapon, substance, vehicle, equipment, tool, device or animal that inflicts pain or produces injury.
  • Any physical strike to any part of the body.
  • Any physical contact or threat of contact by the member or a weapon that causes or threatens to cause pain or injury.
  • Any physical contact or threat of physical contact by the member that results in physical restriction or manipulation of movement.
  • Unholstering or displaying a weapon when engaged with a subject or subjects, or pointing a weapon at a person.
• Weaponless Strike: A deliberate hit or blow intended to cause injury or pain. Strikes are more aggressive and are intended to achieve pain compliance or incapacitate the person. Strikes can involve a kick, punch, slap, knee, or any similar action.