7.15. The Use of Force Continuum

The use of force level is an indication of how an average, reasonable person, upon witnessing the security guard’s actions would perceive the level of force used by the guard on the subject. A guard should always use the lowest level of force possible to avoid possible civil and criminal lawsuits.

Note: The use of force continuum assumes a guard is armed with chemical agents, baton, handcuffs, taser or a firearm. Most security guards are not equipped in this manner. Unarmed guards should not progress past the No Force level. Instead, they should observe, report and call the police to resolve the incident.

• No Force:No physical contact is made between the guard and the subject. A guard should never use a force above NO FORCE in incidents of property theft.
  • Officer Presence: A officer just by being present may persuade a misbehaving subject to behave properly.
  • Voice Persuasion: A officer uses only their professional voice and words to persuade the subject to cooperate. The officer in no way tries to use even the positioning of their body or gestures to gain cooperation from the subject.
  • Body Language and Positioning: Without using any physical contact on the subject, the officer uses their body’s position (location) or body language to gain subject cooperation. This can include blocking a doorway the subject is trying to enter, standing behind a barricade to prevent the subject from climbing over the barricade, pointing in the direction the subject should go or using an outstretched arm with palm forward to indicate the subject should halt.
• Low Force:Some physical contact is made between the guard and the subject. Any contact, including the officer’s hand on the subject’s arm shoulder, is considered physical contact. An officer must always use caution even when using Low Force, especially on a subject of a different gender or a child.
  • Control Holds: A guard uses their bare hands to restrain or hold the subject. A guard can use pressure points to cause pain or joint manipulation so the subject moves to avoid pain.
  • Restraints: If the subject has been arrested, handcuffs can be used at this stage.
• Medium Force:This is the next level of using physical controls against a suspect in an attempt to restrain the subject.
  • Chemical Agents: The use of chemical agents, such as pepper-spray or OC spray, on a subject does not guarantee the subject will be restrained and can cause illness or death to the subject and/or the security officer. About 14{2472f38ffcf0e877c9f6bb1152cddbc836ce729e69fabee79e36ee9d740ba7c1} of people have no severe reaction to chemical agents. The officer may also become incapacitated if exposed to the agent due to wind conditions. Chemical agents are designed to cause pain, limit vision and limit the power to resist physical force. Officers should have a decontamination spray or liquid in case the subject has a reaction to the chemical agent. A guard should only carry and use chemical agents, if they can legally do so and has been properly trained in their use.
  • Weapon Assisted Controls: The officer can use their baton to direct the subject or to increase the effectiveness of a Low Force level technique. Guards designated as unarmed guards should not carry a baton.
• High Force (Temporary Incapacitation):A security officer should only use this level of force to deal with extremely violent incidents, but where the officer still does not feel as if their life of the lives of others are threatened. An officer should be properly trained in High Force techniques before they attempt to use them on a subject. The guard should also be in good physical shape.
  • Body and Weapon Striking Techniques: The guard uses self-defense or martial art techniques or their baton to subdue a subject. The guard may attempt to fend off a weapon attack or disarm the subject. The officer should not strike the subject’s head or neck as such a strike is considered Deadly Force. The guard should not use a weapon to strike any area of the subject’s body that could cause life-threatening internal injuries to the subject. Again, the guard must be trained and licensed to carry a baton and other weapons.
• Deadly Force:A security guard should only use Deadly Force if there is evidence the subject wants to kill the guard or someone else in the area. A guard should only use Deadly Force if they have followed the use of force continuum. Otherwise they will be open to civil and criminal charges.
  • Striking Techniques to Critical Targets: The guard may strike at the head and neck with their bare hands. The guard may use a weapon to strike the subject’s body anywhere.
  • Firearms: The officer should use a firearm as a last resort. The law looks at the firing of a weapon as to only have one purpose – to kill another person.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT – Additional Information about the Use of Force:

The best course of action for a security officer is to disengage from a violent subject if the guard can do so without endangering the lives of others in the area. After disengaging from the subject, the guard should call the police and let the police handle the incident. Not following the force continuum and using force levels a guard is not trained in can result in their serious injury or death and open them up to future lawsuits. Guards want to AVOID the use of force whenever possible. Guards should always AVOID the use of excessive force.

A guard can also be sued even for using low levels of force that accidentally injure a subject. For instance, if a guard pepper sprays a subject and the subject falls into the store window and gets severely cut up and disfigured from the broken glass, the guard can be sued.

If a guard uses any type of force above NO FORCE, they should inform their supervisor and employer as soon as possible after the incident. The guard should file an Incident Report.

You should take an in-person classroom course to receive detailed instructions on specific guidelines for the use of Tasers.