San Diego County Sheriff
Home MenuUse of Force Report
Law enforcement agencies across the nation are collecting use of force statistics in order to review and analyze the reasonableness of force being used by officers. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is committed to reviewing use of force incidents from multiple perspectives, including training, tactics, policies, procedures, and equipment use with the ultimate goal of identifying problem areas, applying appropriate corrective solutions and making improvements.
Enforcement of the law and the performance of law enforcement duties may require the use of physical force and/or physical restraint. The preservation of order and the observance of the law are best achieved through voluntary compliance rather than force or compulsion. The higher the level of voluntary compliance and cooperation, the less need for force. To that end, the use of force must always be considered secondary to the desirability of voluntary compliance. When the need for the use of force arises, deputies may use objectively reasonable force to effect an arrest, prevent escape,
overcome resistance, or in self-defense or defense of others. It is the responsibility of the Department and all sworn personnel to ensure force and restraint are used in a manner that not only provides for public safety, but for officer safety as well.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is making these statistics available to the public on an annual basis.