Notice of Development of Rulemaking

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Rule No.: RULE TITLE
33-602.210: Use of Force
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect of the proposed rule is to update forms, form references, and employee title references.
SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Use of Force.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 944.09 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 776.07, 944.09, 944.35 FS.
IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE NOTICED IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE WEEKLY.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Kendra Lee Jowers, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS:

33-602.210 Use of Force.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) Use of Deadly Force to Prevent Escape or to Recapture Escapee. Generally, correctional officers are authorized to use force, including deadly force, as necessary to prevent the escape of an inmate from a penal institution.

(a) No change.

(b) Apprehension of escaped inmates once they are outside an institutional perimeter.

1. Correctional officers are considered to be in active pursuit of an inmate who has escaped from an institution or supervised work squad so long as the incident escape commander determines that the escape recovery efforts are active. When the inmate has refused a verbal order to stop, the correctional officer is authorized to use deadly force to stop the inmate, once the officer has clearly identified the individual as the escaped inmate and is sure of the target and what lies beyond.

2. Once the incident escape commander determines that immediate recapture efforts are over, recapture becomes a law enforcement agency function and department staff only provide assistance to local law enforcement. Correctional officers who are utilized to assist outside law enforcement agencies are authorized to use deadly force only in self defense or to defend others against deadly use of force.

3. No change.

(c) Escape attempts by inmates while being transported or escorted outside institutional perimeters, e.g., court appearances, hearings and medical visits, or while being supervised while in a hospital for treatment. Deadly force is only authorized in accordance with paragraph (2)(c), when the officers are in immediate active pursuit of the escapee. The incident escape commander will determine when the period of active pursuit has ended. At this point, involvement by correctional officers will be limited to assisting law enforcement officers and deadly force is only authorized for self defense or to defend others against deadly use of force.

(5) through (16) No change.

(17) Force or restraint may be used to administer medical treatment when ordered by a physician or clinical associate, and only when treatment is necessary to protect the health of other persons, as in the case of contagious and venereal diseases, or when treatment is offered in satisfaction of a duty to protect the inmate against self-inflicted injury or death. The physician or clinical associate shall prepare Form DC6-232, Authorization for Use of Force Report, documenting the reasons that force or restraint was authorized. The physician’s or clinical associate’s report shall be attached to Form DC6-230, Institutions Report of Force Used, when actual force is used, or Form DC6-210, Incident Report, when restraints are applied without the use of force as described above. In each instance a DC4-701C, Emergency Room Record, shall be completed in its entirety with applicable data, or the letters N/A used to indicate not applicable. Form DC4-708, Diagram of Injury, shall also be completed in its entirety with applicable data, or the letters N/A used to indicate not applicable. In each case, the examination shall be complete and result in a clear statement by the medical provider that there is or is not an injury, and the record shall provide sufficient documentation to support that conclusion. In all cases where physical force is used to manage an inmate, the inmate and any employee who is involved will be required to receive a medical examination or will sign Form DC4-711A, Refusal of Health Care Services, declining the examination. In those cases where an injury is claimed but not substantiated by medical examination, the statement by the medical provider shall indicate this, and the documentation shall be sufficient to support that no injury was found upon examination. Form Forms DC4-711A is incorporated by reference in Rule 33-401.105, F.A.C., Forms DC4-701C and DC4-708 are incorporated by reference in subsection (29)(30) of this rule. When the use of four-point or five-point psychiatric restraints is authorized and the inmate does not offer resistance to the application of the restraints, the completion of Form DC6-230, Institutions Report of Force Used, or Form DC6-231, Institutions Report of Force Used Staff Supplement, will not be required. In these situations, where there is no resistance to the application of psychiatric restraints, the application of the restraints will be videotaped and Form DC6-210, Incident Report, will be completed. The videotape, the completed Incident Report, and the completed Form DC6-232, Authorization for Use of Force Report, will be forwarded to the warden or acting warden for review within one working day. The warden will forward the videotape and associated reports to the institutional inspector within five working days. The institutional inspector will ensure that all documentation is complete and will forward all materials to the Office of the Inspector General, as outlined in subsection (11) above, for review. If at any time prior to or during the application of the psychiatric restraints the inmate offers resistance to the application, the steps outlined in subsection (9) above will be followed.

(18) through (20) No change.

(21) Use of Chemical Agents. Chemical agents shall not be used on anyone other than an inmate during an authorized use of force.

(a) through (q) No change.

(r) Upon request, appropriate health services staff shall provide the following completed forms to Department inspectors or legal staff: Form DC4-701C, Use of Force Exam and; Form DC4-708, Diagram of Injury; and Form DC4-701, Chronological Record of Health Care. Form DC4-701 is incorporated by reference in subsection (30) of this rule.

(22) Specialty Impact Munitions. Specialty impact munitions shall be used primarily by the department’s rapid response teams and correctional emergency response teams during riots and disturbances. They are intended as a less lethal alternative to the use of deadly force. Specialty impact munitions shall only be employed by officers trained in their use and effects and shall not be used on anyone other than an inmate during an authorized use of force.

(a) through (b) No change.

(c) Selection and deployment of specialty impact munitions during a riot or disturbance shall be authorized by the incident ultimate commander and supervised by the rapid response or correctional emergency response team leader. For the purposes of this rule, the incident ultimate commander is the Secretary secretary or his designee at the central office level, the regional director or his designee at the regional level, or the warden or his designee at the institution level.

(d) through (28) No change.

(29) The following forms are hereby incorporated by reference. Copies of these forms are available from the Forms Control Administrator, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500.

(a) through (e) No change.

(f) DC4-711A, Refusal of Health Care Services, effective September 7, 2010.

(g) through (m) renumbered (f) through (l) No change.

(m)(n) DC4-650B, Risk Assessment for the Use of Chemical Restraint Agents and Electronic Immobilization Devices, effective _______ August 4, 2008.

(o) DC4-701, Chronological Record of Health Care, effective 4-8-10.

Rulemaking Authority 944.09 FS. Law Implemented 776.07, 944.09, 944.35 FS. History–New 4-8-81, Amended 10-10-83, 9-28-85, Formerly 33-3.066, Amended 3-26-86, 11-21-86, 4-21-93, 7-26-93, 11-2-94, 2-12-97, 11-8-98, Formerly 33-3.0066, Amended 10-6-99, 2-7-00, 7-25-02, 8-25-03, 2-25-04, 11-7-04, 4-17-05, 8-1-05, 3-2-06, 9-18-06, 10-4-07, 3-3-08, 8-4-08, 1-6-09, 5-26-09, 4-8-10, 9-13-10, ________.