Definitions
Minnesota
St. Paul Police Department: The policy also defines deadly force by the definition given by the Minnesota Statute 609.066. This definition suggests deadly force is when the officer knows the force will either result in death or great harm to the person. This statute also adds the factor of discharging a firearm in the direction of where a person might be, including a vehicle, as deadly force. Use of force on the other hand, is defined as the use of command presence, verbalization, and other means (including physical force and more) as a way to restrain a suspect. Furthermore, they also define the following terms: electronic control devices, great bodily harm, impact weapon, less than lethal force, non-lethal force, reasonable grounds/belief, reasonably necessary force, restraint, strangle holds, T.A.R.P., unreasonable force, weapon of choice,
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Nevertheless, they also added that the willingness to shoot a firearm by a peace officer to another person, or a vehicle in which another person is thought to be in, is also known as deadly force. When defining use of force they suggested police contact which involved the following: using weapons, equipment, tools, devices, animals to hurt someone or cause injury to another; any physical maneuver to another person’s body, any physical maneuver which causes pain or injury to someone else, and any constrain applied to someone else which may cause an injury. Summary: When defining use of deadly force, both departments cited the Minnesota statute 609.066. However, their use of force definition was some what difference. While both talk about using different tools and equipment on another person, St. Paul Police Department also mentions the use of command presence and verbalization.