Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

51020.15.7 Chemical Agent Use During Immediate Use of Force

• A verbal warning shall be given whenever possible prior to the use of chemical agents, unless the circumstances requiring the immediate use of force preclude such verbal warning.  If a streamer, fogger, or foam agent is used, employees shall target the facial area, when available, and utilize a burst of approximately three seconds. If a blast or pyrotechnic grenade is used, employees shall deploy the device to an area that provides effective chemical agent exposure to the intended target(s). Following the deployment, employees shall assess the need for additional deployment while allowing the chemical agent to work and providing orders to the intended target(s). If an imminent threat still exists and additional use of force is necessary, further deployment of an additional chemical agent is authorized, following the same instructions as above, or the employee may transition to another use of force option until an imminent threat no longer exists. In addition to all existing requirements for reporting the use of chemical agents, employees who deploy more than one burst of chemical agent, shall articulate the need to utilize a second, and any subsequent bursts of chemical agents, or any other use of force option, in their written report. The use of chemical agents on intended target(s) known to be pregnant is prohibited.