SDPD - San Diego Police Department Use of Force Policy Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to San Diego Police Department Procedure 1.04, what is the Department's highest priority in the performance of their duties?
- Apprehension of criminal suspects.
- The protection of property.
- The recognition and respect for the value of human life. (Correct answer)
- Enforcement of all city ordinances.
Correct answer: The recognition and respect for the value of human life.
SDPD Procedure 1.04 explicitly states, 'The San Diego Police Department recognizes and respects the value of human life, having this as its highest priority.' This principle guides all other actions, including the use of force.
Question 2: An SDPD officer responds to a call about a person acting erratically in a park. The person is unarmed but shouting and not responding to verbal commands. According to SDPD's de-escalation policy (DP 1.55), which of the following actions should the officer prioritize, when safe and reasonable to do so?
- Immediately moving in to physically restrain the individual to prevent escalation.
- Using time, distance, and communication to try and gain voluntary compliance. (Correct answer)
- Drawing a firearm to ensure the subject remains stationary.
- Ignoring the individual until they commit a specific crime.
Correct answer: Using time, distance, and communication to try and gain voluntary compliance.
SDPD Procedure 1.55 on De-escalation emphasizes using 'time, distance, communications, and other available resources in an effort to de-escalate encounters and gain voluntary compliance' when it is safe and reasonable. This approach is intended to reduce the need for force.
Question 3: Which of the following actions by an SDPD officer constitutes a reportable use of force incident?
- Placing a compliant individual in handcuffs without resistance.
- Pointing a firearm at a person to gain compliance. (Correct answer)
- Verbally commanding a suspect to stop running.
- The officer's mere presence at a scene.
Correct answer: Pointing a firearm at a person to gain compliance.
SDPD Procedure 1.04 lists specific incidents that require a use of force report. Among these is 'The pointing of a firearm at a person to gain compliance.' Placing handcuffs on a compliant person is not considered a reportable use of force unless physical resistance is overcome.
Question 4: Under SDPD Procedure 1.56, 'Intervention Duties,' an officer who observes another officer using force that is 'clearly beyond that which is necessary' has a duty to do what?
- Wait until the situation is over and then discuss it with the other officer.
- Report the incident only if the subject files a complaint.
- Discreetly record the incident on their body-worn camera for later review.
- Intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force when in a position to do so. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force when in a position to do so.
SDPD Procedure 1.56 mandates that 'Any officer who is present and observes another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is necessary...shall, when in a position to do so, intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force.' This is a 'shall' (mandate), not a 'should' (suggestion).
Question 5: An SDPD officer is pursuing a suspect who just committed a felony involving the threatened use of a firearm. The suspect is fleeing on foot and the officer reasonably believes the suspect is still armed. According to state law (incorporated into SDPD policy), when is the officer justified in using deadly force?
- As soon as the suspect begins to flee, regardless of other factors.
- Only after firing a warning shot and giving a verbal warning.
- When the officer believes it is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or others. (Correct answer)
- Anytime a suspect is fleeing from a felony crime.
Correct answer: When the officer believes it is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or others.
Reflecting Assembly Bill 392, SDPD policy states that deadly force is justified only when an officer reasonably believes it's necessary to defend against an 'imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury' to the officer or another person, or to apprehend a fleeing felon who the officer believes will cause death or serious injury to another unless immediately apprehended.
Question 6: When evaluating an officer's use of force, the SDPD policy aligns with the U.S. Supreme Court standard in Graham v. Connor. Which of the following is a central inquiry in determining if the force was 'objectively reasonable'?
- The officer's subjective intent or motivation at the time.
- The suspect's prior criminal history.
- Whether the officer's actions were reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the scene. (Correct answer)
- The outcome of the force application (e.g., severity of injury).
Correct answer: Whether the officer's actions were reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the scene.
The 'objectively reasonable' standard requires evaluating the officer's actions based on the totality of the circumstances from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, without the benefit of hindsight. The officer's underlying intent or motivation is not the primary consideration.
SDPD - San Diego Police Department Use of Force Policy Questions and Answers
According to San Diego Police Department Procedure 1.04, what is the Department's highest priority in the performance of their duties?