Notice of Change/Withdrawal

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Departmental
RULE NO: RULE TITLE
33-602.210: Use of Force
NOTICE OF CHANGE
Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 32 No. 18, May 5, 2006 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

33-602.210 Use of Force.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) Physical force shall be employed only as a last resort when it reasonably appears that other alternatives are not feasible to control the situation and will not be used solely in response to verbal abuse that does not rise to a level of a disturbance. When the use of force is justified, only that amount and type of force that reasonably appears necessary to accomplish the authorized objective shall be used. All authorized use of force incidents will be videorecorded in their entirety, except that videotaping the administration of chemical agents is not required for use on an inmate creating a disturbance in his or her cell when the officer is attempting to resolve the situation without extracting the inmate from the cell. Videotaping will be initiated after the final exposure to chemical agents and will continue from this point until the decontaminating shower is provided, and the medical examination is completed, and the inmate is returned to a secure cell. Should the inmate refuse the shower for decontamination purposes or refuse the medical examination, both the staff providing the opportunity in each case and the inmate’s responses will be recorded. All spontaneous use of force incidents will be videotaped from the point the video camera operator arrives at the scene. Videotaping shall continue uninterrupted until the incident is under control, the involved inmate is escorted to medical, and the inmate is subsequently returned to secure housing. Videotaping of post use of force medical exams shall be done in such a manner as to provide the privacy needed for the exam. If it is necessary to transport the inmate to an outside facility for treatment or to another department facility for secure housing purposes, videotaping shall continue until the inmate is loaded and secured in the transport vehicle.

(5) through (9) No change.

(10) The warden or acting warden shall immediately conduct a preliminary review of the video tape(s) and all associated reports for signs of excessive force or procedural deviation. If signs of excessive force or procedural deviation are noted by the warden or assigned inspector, she or he will notify the Office of the Inspector General directly, so that there is no undue delay in initiating an investigation. The warden shall then appoint a staff member of equal or higher rank than those involved in the use of force to collect all pertinent information and required documentation. This information will include the reports of all involved staff and the statements of staff witnesses, inmate witnesses, the inmate subject, and the completed Use of Force File Checklist, Form DC1-813. All inmate statements (subject and witnesses) shall be made in writing using the Witness Statement, Form DC6-112C. Form DC6-112C is incorporated by reference in Rule 33-601.313, F.A.C. All employees who witness but do not participate in the use of force shall complete an Incident Report, Form DC6-210. Form DC6-210 is incorporated by reference in subsection (22) of this rule. This process will be completed within 5 working days (Monday through Friday). The warden shall review the information and note any inappropriate actions. The warden shall review the Use of Force File Checklist, Form DC1-813, and shall forward the videotape(s) and associated reports on the use of force and the warden’s review to the institutional inspector within five working days. Form DC1-813 is incorporated by reference in subsection (22) of this rule. The institutional inspector will ensure that all documentation is complete and will forward all materials to the Use of Force Unit within the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) within 5 working days. The Use of Force Unit within the OIG, following its review, will either approve the use of force action or disapprove it. If the Use of Force Unit finds that the use of force was appropriate, the OIG’s written determination of the appropriateness of the force used and the reasons therefor, shall be forwarded to the circuit administrator or warden upon completion of the review. If the Use of Force Unit OIG finds that the use of force was inappropriate, the OIG shall conduct a complete investigation into the incident and forward the findings of fact to the appropriate regional director. before final approval or disapproval. If disapproved, The the OIG shall also advise the warden in writing of the reason for the disapproval so that the warden can take any needed corrective action. If employee disciplinary action appears warranted, the warden shall forward the materials to the service center employee relations supervisor. Form DC6-296, Disapproved Use of Force/Disposition Report, shall be used for this purpose. Form DC6-296 is incorporated by reference in subsection (22) of this rule. The warden shall document all corrective action taken. Copies of the employee’s report, the warden’s summary and the inspector general’s review and determination shall be kept in the inmate’s file. A Use of Force Log, Form DC2-802, shall be placed in every employee’s personnel file. This form will be maintained by the servicing personnel office and shall contain a record of every report of use of force and staff supplement completed by the employee. The warden or his or her designee shall be responsible for submitting accurate information to the personnel office in order to maintain the DC2-802. Any use of force reports completed prior to April 15, 1998 shall also remain in the file. Form DC2-802, Use of Force Log, is incorporated by reference in subsection (22) of this rule.

(11) through (15) No change.

(16) Use of Chemical Agents.

(a) through (l) No change.

(m) Procedure for the use of chemical agents on disruptive inmates under controlled conditions:

1. through 2. No change.

3. Prior to using chemical agents, the inmate again shall be counseled with by the shift supervisor concerning his behavior.

a. through e. No change.

f. Except in cases of extreme emergency as determined by the warden or duty warden, the confinement or close management lieutenant or the shift supervisor shall counsel with, issue the final order, and be present during the administering of chemical agents. If the confinement or close management lieutenant or the shift supervisor, confinement or close management lieutenant is unavailable, he shall provide a written explanation as to why he was not available to supervise the administration of chemical agents.

(n) through (p) No change.

(17) through (22) No change.

Specific Authority 944.09 FS. Law Implemented 20.315, 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,________.