G.O. 3.11 - Kinetic Energy Weapons

Administrative Metadata

  • Distribution: All Personnel
  • Document Type: General Order (G.O.) 3.11
    • Original Issue Date: {03/26/2020}
    • Re-issue/Effective Date: unspecified in excerpt
    • Section: 3 — RULES OF CONDUCT
    • Rescinds: Norwich Police Department Policy 310.06 (issued 01/23/2009)
  • Accreditation Standards cited (POSTC):
    • 1.14.1
    • 1.14.3
    • 1.14.4
    • 1.14.7
  • Legal disclaimer:
    • The order governs only internal, administrative conduct.
    • Does not establish higher legal standards in civil or criminal arenas.
    • Violations lead to departmental sanctions; criminal/civil liability follows separate judicial processes.

Purpose (Section I)

  • Establishes procedures & guidelines for:
    • Training
    • Carrying
    • Deployment & Use
    of Norwich Police Department (NPD) authorized kinetic-energy weapons.

Policy Statement (Section II)

  • Core principle: Use only the amount of force reasonably necessary to:
    • Effect an arrest
    • Control a situation
    • Defend officers or others from harm
  • Less-lethal options aid in de-escalation and supply alternatives to deadly force.
  • Impact projectiles are a critical component of less-lethal equipment; their use must align with:
    • This policy (G.O. 3.11)
    • All applicable Use-of-Force policies, notably G.O. 3.01 – “Use of Force – General.”

Key Definitions (Section III)

  • Active Resistance: Physical, evasive movements (bracing, tensing, pulling away, pushing) impeding officer control.
  • Authorized Weapons: Department-approved arms meeting NPD specs and for which the officer is trained & proficient.
  • Bean Bag Rounds: Impact rounds (usually lead-shot filled) for 12-gauge, 37 mm, or 40 mm launchers.
  • De-escalation: Reduction in applied force proportional to decreased subject resistance.
  • Force:
    • Any intentional physical strike/contact OR attempted strike/contact
    • Includes firearm aiming/discharge, chemical agents, impact weapons, electronic control weapons (ECWs), takedowns, control techniques.
    • Excludes escorting/handcuffing a compliant subject.
    • Lawful when objectively reasonable and the minimum necessary to arrest or protect life.
  • Harm: Any inflicted injury (visible or invisible).
  • Impact Projectile / Kinetic Energy Weapon: Flexible or rigid rounds (for 12-gauge, 37 mm, 40 mm) intended to incapacitate with lower risk of death/serious injury relative to conventional ammunition.
  • Lethal Force: Force reasonably expected to cause death or serious physical injury.
    • Recognized as an extreme measure; governed by law & policy.
  • Less-lethal Force / Weapon: Force/weapons primarily designed to temporarily incapacitate without causing death/serious bodily harm.
  • Passive Resistance: Non-compliance without physical interference (e.g., protestor lying in doorway).
  • Serious Bodily Injury:
    • Injury causing death or substantial risk of death
    • Permanent impairment/disfigurement
    • Loss of organ function
    • Medical-facility treatment beyond minor care (eye-wash, simple bandage, etc. are case-by-case).

Procedures (Section IV)

A. Equipment

  • Officers may carry only NPD-issued & approved kinetic weapons.
  • Authorized launch platforms:
    1. Remington 870 shotgun
    2. Penn Arms / CCTS 40 mm Launcher
  • Authorized ammunition:
    1. Supersock 12-gauge kinetic-energy round
    2. 40 mm kinetic-energy round
  • Dedicated Shotguns:
    • Colored orange or yellow (stocks & fore-grips)
    • Kept unloaded; exclusively for less-lethal munitions.
    • Stored with clearly marked kinetic rounds.
  • Issue requirements: Only officers trained in kinetic-energy weapons may be issued the rounds.

B. Training

  • Deployment permissible only after successful training & qualification.
  • Frequency: Officers must certify annually with a POSTC-certified trainer/instructor.
    • All sessions must be documented.
  • Proficiency demonstration:
    • Practical skill with the weapon
    • Legal & policy knowledge on Use of Force

C. Deployment Guidelines

1. Authorization

  • Any officer may authorize kinetic-energy deployment.
  • Decision must conform to NPD Use-of-Force policy.
  • Kinetic-energy impact weapons are classified equivalent to impact weapons re: force level & procedure.

2. Considerations for Use

  • Primarily for subjects posing a threat of death or serious bodily harm to self/others.
  • Suitable when reasonable belief exists that kinetic rounds present a safer alternative to deadly force.

3. Loading Protocol (Two-Officer Rule)

  1. Deployment officer ensures weapon is empty (visual + manual check of chamber & magazine).
  2. Second officer repeats empty check.
  3. Second officer verifies each round is correct kinetic type & hands rounds individually to deployment officer.
  4. Deployment officer re-verifies each round before loading.
  5. Once loaded, weapon remains in immediate possession of deployment officer until fired or unloaded.
  6. Transfer to another officer requires unloading & reloading via same steps, except in exigent tactical circumstances.

4. Tactical Deployment Rules

  • Verbal Warning:
    • Must be given (with time to comply) unless it endangers officers/others.
    • Continuous verbal commands encouraged to aid de-escalation.
  • Target Areas & Deadly-Force Threshold:
    • Head/neck strikes have higher lethality; deliberately targeting them = deadly force (regulated by G.O. 3.01).
    • Preferred aim: center body mass or extremities, context-dependent.
  • Blue-on-Blue Safety:
    • Warn nearby officers before firing to prevent misinterpretation that could trigger live-fire response.
  • Effectiveness Evaluation:
    • Assess after each round; adjust target area or tactics if ineffective.
  • Cover & Overwatch:
    • Utilize cover when possible.
    • Consider ballistic shield use by trained officers.
    • Maintain at least one lethal-cover officer for the deploying officer.

D. Post-Deployment Actions

  1. Medical Evaluation: All impacted subjects restrained (as needed) & transported to medical facility.
  2. EMS Activation: Required if adverse reaction occurs or if impact hits face, neck, or groin.
  3. Injury Documentation: Photograph every subject to record injury extent.
  4. Reporting: Deploying officer must file a Use of Force Report per G.O. 3.05.

E. Supervisor Responsibilities

  1. Scene Response: A supervisor must respond to any deployment scene.
  2. Duties under G.O. 3.05:
    a. Conduct preliminary force investigation.
    b. Ensure medical treatment is provided.
    c. Photograph officer injuries/damage to gear, uniforms, or property.
    d. Photograph arrested subject (injury or lack thereof).
    e. Secure witness information.
  3. Report Review: Supervisor must review Use of Force Report before end of duty and forward through chain of command.

Cross-Referenced General Orders & Policies

  • G.O. 3.01 – Use of Force – General: Governs deadly force parameters, includes kinetic impacts to head/neck as lethal.
  • G.O. 3.05 – Reporting and Investigating Force: Sets standards for documentation, medical care, and supervisory investigation after any force.

Ethical & Practical Implications

  • Emphasis on proportionality and objectively reasonable force underscores constitutional limits (4th Amendment reasonableness standard).
  • Two-Officer loading rule and brightly colored dedicated shotguns aim to reduce negligent discharge of lethal rounds—a risk mitigation practice.
  • Requirement for medical evaluation & documentation promotes transparency and safeguards subject welfare, potentially reducing civil liability.
  • Annual training mandates ensure skills currency and familiarity with evolving legal parameters (e.g., Graham v. Connor standards).

Quick-Reference Numerical Data / Formulas

  • POSTC Standards: 1.14.1,\;1.14.3,\;1.14.4,\;1.14.7
  • Launcher calibers: 12\;\text{gauge},\;37\;\text{mm},\;40\;\text{mm}
  • Annual recertification interval: 1\;\text{year}

Memory Hooks & Mnemonics

  • "2-O Rule" = Two Officers verify & load.
  • "O-Y Shotguns" = Orange/Yellow colored for Output of Yield (less-lethal).
  • "Triple-P" for Post-Deployment: Photograph, Provide medical, Paperwork.

Potential Exam Prompts

  • Define active vs. passive resistance and provide deployment implications.
  • List six supervisor duties after kinetic deployment (hint: investigation, medical, photos ×2, witnesses, report).
  • Explain why impacts to head/neck are classified as deadly force.
  • Describe the loading procedure step-by-step and rationale for each verification.