There are many levels of force that a deputy may utilize to control the behavior of civilians and/or suspects.

Deputy Presence - Potential criminals are less likely to commit a crime when they know a peace officer is in the area and/or is a short distance away. Simply being present not only deters criminals, but gives the community a sense of security knowing you're there to keep them safe.

Verbal Directives - Asserting your authority and giving clear and concise directives is key to controlling a situation. If you want somebody to do something, tell them exactly what you want and how you want it done. Keeping your directives clear and concise prevents any miscommunication, confusions, and unnecessary escalation.

Blunt Force - If verbal directives prove ineffective, you may need to get hands-on. Blunt force consists of hand-to-hand combat, subject control maneuvers, and the application of blunt objects to defend yourself from an active aggressor. Blunt force should only be used if verbal directives were attempted and did not provide results.

Less-Lethal Force - Less-lethal force is force that is not likely to cause serious physical injury or death. Any use of less-lethal force must be both objectively reasonable and necessary in order to carry out the authorized deputy's law enforcement duties. Less-lethal devices/weapons may be used in situations where empty-hand techniques are not sufficient to control disorderly or violent subjects.

NOTE: Neither blunt force nor less-lethal force are 100% safe. There will always be a risk of injury or even death when using these methods. It is the deputy's responsibility that any force used is commensurate to the level of danger that they are in, and all force must be ceased once the subject is under control and/or cooperative.

Deadly Force - Deadly force is force that is likely to cause serious physical injury or death. Deputies may use deadly force only when the deputy has a reasonable belief that a subject poses an imminent danger of serious physical injury or death to the deputy or a member of the public. For a subject to be considered as posing an imminent danger, that subject must have both the means as well as the intent to do harm.