Honolulu Police Department

Use of Force Summary Presentation

February 3, 2021
 Considerations

Officers are required to use "Reasonable Force" based on three

factors…

1. Severity of the Crime

The more serious or severe the offense, the

higher the justification for the use of force.

2. Level of Threat

The more immediate the threat to the safety

of the officer or others, the higher the
justification for the use of force.

3. Subject’s Behavior or Level of Resistance

The greater the level of resistance, the

higher the justification for greater use of
force.

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 Levels of Resistance

The amount of force used should be relative to the level of

resistance.
- Psychological Intimidation
- Verbal Noncompliance
- Passive Resistance
- Defensive Resistance
- Active Resistance
- Active Aggression
- Aggravated Active Aggression

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 Levels of Control

- Officer Presence
- Verbal Directions
- Physical Contact
- Chemical Agents
- Physical Confrontation
- Intermediate Devices/Vascular
Neck Restraint (VNR)/
Conducted Electrical Weapon
(CEW)
- Less-Lethal Options
- Deadly Force/Firearms
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 Use of Force Form
A Use of Force and Conducted Electrical Weapon Report (HPD-192E
form) must be submitted for any use of force beyond routine
handcuffing.
For example…
- Discharge/Display of Firearm
- Discharge/Display of Less Lethal
- Use/Display of Baton
- Use/Display of Chemical Agent
- Injury/Complaint of Injury
- Deploy/Display CEW
- Light Touch/Holds/Directed Escort
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 Methodology
Each year, data is collected from various sources:
- Records Management System
(CRS – Use of Force Form)
- Professional Standards Office
(PSO)
- Computer Aided Dispatch
System (CADS – Call for
Service)

Data contained in this presentation…

- Data compiled from 2015 to 2019
- Attempt to identify trends and
possible reasons for those trends

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 Number of Reports and Force Incidents By District
Reports
160,000
DISTRICT 1 Reports 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
140,000 DISTRICT 1 136,909 146,334 131,952 143,589 150,896
DISTRICT 2
120,000 DISTRICT 2 37,789 45,215 37,259 36,001 35,568
DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 3 70,605 76,154 67,593 66,278 64,810
100,000
DISTRICT 4 53,704 61,010 51,794 50,888 49,381
DISTRICT 4
80,000 DISTRICT 5 76,701 87,240 76,523 79,167 79,861
DISTRICT 5 DISTRICT 6 42,136 48,266 42,183 42,801 42,886
60,000
DISTRICT 6 DISTRICT 7 67,855 78,328 68,244 67,322 67,313
40,000
DISTRICT 8 76,578 91,461 78,858 77,729 77,442
DISTRICT 7
20,000 TOTAL 562,277 634,008 554,406 563,775 568,157
0 DISTRICT 8
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Use of Force Incidents

800 UoF
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Incidents
700 DISTRICT 1 DISTRICT 1 483 481 547 603 690
600 DISTRICT 2 DISTRICT 2 33 76 152 105 173
500 DISTRICT 3 DISTRICT 3 89 85 154 150 174
DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 4 67 85 158 179 159
400
DISTRICT 5 109 169 243 272 321
DISTRICT 5
300 DISTRICT 6 236 245 286 308 308
DISTRICT 6 DISTRICT 7 117 178 217 208 276
200
DISTRICT 7 DISTRICT 8 111 141 210 245 253
100
DISTRICT 8 TOTAL 1,245 1,460 1,967 2,070 2,354
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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 Number of Reports and Force Incidents
Police Reports and Force Incidents • From 2015 to 2019, force was
2015 to 2019
used in less than one percent
0.32%
of all incidents resulting in a
9,096
Force police report.
Incidents 99.69%
2,882,623 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Police Reports Police Reports 562,277 634,008 554,406 563,775 568,157

Force Incidents 1,245 1,460 1,967 2,070 2,354

UoF/Reports % 0.22% 0.23% 0.35% 0.37% 0.41%

Force Incidents % • District 6 (Waikiki) had the

by District 2015 to 2019
0.70% 0.63%
highest percentage (0.63%) of
0.60% use of force incidents per
0.50%
0.40%
0.40% total number of reports.
0.28% 0.28% 0.29%
0.30%
0.20%
0.19%
0.24% 0.24%
• District 3 (Aiea, Pearl City,
0.10% Waipahu) had the lowest
0.00%
DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT percentage (0.19%).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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 Day of Week
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL
Day of the Week
0 100 200 300 400 SUNDAY 179 207 265 295 312 1,258

MONDAY 174 178 251 248 347 1,198

SUNDAY TUESDAY 161 200 265 278 342 1,246

WEDNESDAY 135 190 321 287 331 1,264

MONDAY THURSDAY 200 214 277 326 342 1,359

FRIDAY 169 235 288 315 329 1,336

TUESDAY SATURDAY 227 236 300 321 351 1,435

WEDNESDAY

• From 2015 to 2019, most

THURSDAY
force incidents occurred on
Saturdays (1,435).
FRIDAY
• Mondays have the lowest
SATURDAY number of force incidents
(1,198).
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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 Time of Day
Time of Day
180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0600 0700 0800 0900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 0100 0200 0300 0400 0500
TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO TO
0659 0759 0859 0959 1059 1159 1259 1359 1459 1559 1659 1759 1859 1959 2059 2159 2259 2359 0059 0159 0259 0359 0459 0559
2015 20 29 27 25 23 45 36 50 50 45 45 45 46 47 42 71 75 83 84 82 103 78 64 20
2016 38 41 40 37 24 33 30 33 46 66 53 61 74 57 71 87 81 104 120 96 97 80 65 26
2017 46 48 54 61 57 86 76 70 83 93 82 95 95 94 67 104 102 117 114 133 111 87 58 34
2018 41 44 70 57 49 63 57 72 94 90 92 107 117 90 113 92 133 149 125 121 90 112 51 41
2019 51 63 68 95 72 86 85 73 84 132 110 134 120 115 117 95 134 131 162 138 107 79 59 44

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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 Age
Age % of Total Number of Force Incidents per Year
2,500 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
10 TO 19 11.81% 10.48% 11.74% 11.59% 11.17%

2,000
20 TO 29 33.25% 35.82% 33.40% 30.87% 30.03%
30 TO 39 23.45% 23.42% 24.15% 25.75% 26.81%
40 TO 49 14.30% 11.99% 13.37% 13.09% 13.47%
1,500
50 TO 59 9.24% 8.56% 7.63% 9.47% 9.18%
60 TO 69 2.97% 3.42% 3.10% 3.38% 3.78%
1,000 70 TO 79 0.64% 0.89% 0.97% 0.63% 0.89%
80 TO 89 0.08% 0.34% 0.31% 0.10% 0.13%
90 TO 99 0.00% 0.00% 0.05% 0.10% 0.04%
500
UNK 4.26% 5.07% 5.29% 5.02% 4.50%

0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
UNK 53 74 104 104 106
90 TO 99 0 0 1 2 1
80 TO 89 1 5 6 2 3
70 TO 79
60 TO 69
8
37
13
50
19
61
13
70
21
89
• The age group with the most
50 TO 59
40 TO 49
115
178
125
175
150
263
196
271
216
317
force incidents over a 5-year
30 TO 39
20 TO 29
292
414
342
523
475
657
533
639
631
707
period are individuals between
10 TO 19 147 153 231 240 263 20 to 29 years old.
10 TO 19 20 TO 29 30 TO 39 40 TO 49 50 TO 59
60 TO 69 70 TO 79 80 TO 89 90 TO 99 UNK

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 Gender
Gender
2,000
Total Force Incidents

1,790
1,500 1,526 1,585

1,000 999 1,011

500 428 508

374
237 274
175
0 9 67 57 56
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Year

MALE FEMALE UNKNOWN

• Males have more % of Total Force Incidents per Year

incidents involving 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

force. However, the
percentage of force MALE 80.24% 69.25% 77.58% 76.57% 76.04%

incidents involving
FEMALE 19.04% 18.77% 19.01% 20.68% 21.58%
females slowly
increased from 2015 to UNKNOWN 0.72% 11.99% 3.41% 2.75% 2.38%
2019.
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 Use of Force Incidents and Arrests

• Force used on various origins/races are consistent with the arrests of

these subjects for the same period.
• The largest percentage of force incidents involve the Native Hawaiian
Pacific Islander (NHPI) group. Similarly, the largest percentage of
arrests can also be attributed to the same group.
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 Subjects Suspected of Drug/Alcohol Use
• In 2019, over 58% of force Subjects Suspected of
incidents involved subjects Drug/Alcohol Use
suspected of drug/alcohol 1,600

use.
1,400
• Over the 5-year period from
2015 to 2019, the number 1,200

of force incidents where 1,000

subjects were suspected of
drug/alcohol use has 800

increased.
600
• Males have consistently
been suspected of 400

drug/alcohol use more than 200

females.
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
MALE FEMALE UNK OR MULTIPLE SUBJECTS

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 Levels of Resistance/Control
• This is an attachment to the
HPD’s Use of Force policy that
was in effect at the end of 2019.

• Officers are not required to

move step by step through all
the levels of control. Skipping
levels may be reasonable given
the resistance encountered.

• As an example, an officer is not

expected to use unarmed
tactics or a chemical agent on a
subject who is violent and
armed with a weapon.

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 Level of Resistance
+
Resistance Encountered
1000
800
600
400
200
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
PSYCHOLOGICAL INTIMIDATION VERBAL NONCOMPLIANCE PASSIVE RESISTANCE DEFENSIVE RESISTANCE
ACTIVE RESISTANCE ACTIVE AGGRESSION AGGRAVATED ACTIVE AGGRESSION

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 +

The highest level of resistance
PSYCHOLOGICAL INTIMIDATION 8 16 27 26 35
encountered during an
VERBAL NONCOMPLIANCE 89 93 142 139 156
incident is represented.
PASSIVE RESISTANCE 117 129 184 196 207

DEFENSIVE RESISTANCE 349 420 599 660 818

ACTIVE RESISTANCE 244 291 364 407 445

Officers encountered
ACTIVE AGGRESSION 243 264 327 270 217
Defensive Resistance by
AGGRAVATED ACTIVE
subjects most frequently.
47 71 79 75 80
AGGRESSION

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 Levels of Control
Officer Response to Subject Actions+ % Change Over 5-Yr Period
1,200
Officer Response to Subject
Actions
1,000
200.0% 125.3% 128.0%
100.0% 61.9%
800 11.1%
0.0%
-100.0% -35.7% -17.0%
600
VERBAL COMMAND PHYSICAL CONTACT
400 CHEMICAL AGENT PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION
INTERMEDIATE WEAPON DEADLY FORCE*
200
* Includes unholster only and /or display
+
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
The highest level of force
VERBAL COMMAND PHYSICAL CONTACT used to gain control of a
CHEMICAL AGENT
INTERMEDIATE WEAPON
PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION
DEADLY FORCE*
subject and/or situation is
* Includes unholster only and/or display represented.
FIREARMS DISCHARGED AT A SUBJECT FIREARMS DISCHARGED
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
AT A SUBJECT
% OF TOTAL FORCE INCIDENTS
0.60% TOTAL FORCE INCIDENTS 1,245 1,460 1,967 2,070 2,354
0.40%
FIREARM DISCHARGED 3 3 2 11 9
0.20%

0.00% % OF TOTAL FORCE

0.24% 0.21% 0.10% 0.53% 0.38%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 INCIDENTS

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 Most Common Types of Incidents
Force Incidents By Type (Most Common) • From 2015 to 2019, the
1,200 most common types of
1,000
incidents in which force
was used were:
No. of Force Incidents

800

DRUG/NARCOTIC OFFENSES
- Simple Assault
600 RESISTING ARREST
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
- MH-1 (Mental Health)
400 MH-1
SIMPLE ASSAULT
- Disorderly Conduct
200 - Resisting Arrest
0 - Drug/Narcotic Offenses
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Year

MOST COMMON % change

• While Simple Assault had
CATEGORIES
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
(5-yr) the largest number of
SIMPLE ASSAULT 197 184 333 301 316 60.4% incidents, MH-1 and
MH-1 121 183 291 290 312 157.9%
Disorderly Conduct had
DISORDERLY CONDUCT 70 81 121 145 156 122.9%
RESISTING ARREST 68 65 78 102 128 88.2%
the greatest percentage
DRUG/NARCOTIC
increase.
53 61 71 81 100 88.7%
OFFENSES

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 Use of Tools/Vascular Neck Restraint (VNR)
Officer Response
120

100

80

60

40

20

0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

BATON CEW CHEM AGENT FIREARMS VNR

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL (5-yr) % of TOTAL (5-yr)

BATON 6 13 7 8 9 43 0.47%
CEW 25 39 58 53 58 233 2.56%
CHEM AGENT 88 106 82 93 73 442 4.86%
FIREARMS 3 3 2 11 9 28 0.31%
VNR 3 11 8 9 11 42 0.46%
TOTAL FORCE 1,245 1,460 1,967 2,070 2,354 9,096

% of Total Force
10.04% 11.78% 7.98% 8.41% 6.80% 8.66%
Incidents

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 Use of Tools – Display vs. Discharge
BATON 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 BATON ACTUALLY USED %
TOTAL USED 6 13 7 8 9 60.00%
40.00%
50.00%
42.86%
DISPLAY ONLY 3 10 4 5 6 20.00% 37.50% 33.33%
23.08%
0.00%
ACTUAL USED % 50.00% 23.08% 42.86% 37.50% 33.33% 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

CEW 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 CEW ACTUALLY USED %

60.00%
TOTAL USED 25 39 58 53 58
40.00%
46.15%
DISPLAY ONLY 19 21 37 42 40 20.00% 36.21%
31.03%
24.00% 20.75%
0.00%
ACTUAL USED % 24.00% 46.15% 36.21% 20.75% 31.03% 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

CHEM AGENT 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 CHEM AGENT ACTUALLY USED %
TOTAL USED 88 106 82 93 73 100.00%
93.18% 85.37%
50.00% 78.30% 78.49% 75.34%
DISPLAY ONLY 6 23 12 20 18
0.00%
ACTUAL USED % 93.18% 78.30% 85.37% 78.49% 75.34% 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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 Subject’s Injuries
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 5-YR TOTAL
NONE 873 1055 1448 1493 1717 6586

% OF YEARLY TOTAL 70.12% 72.26% 73.61% 72.13% 72.94% 72.41%

COMPLAINT OF
104 99 110 154 140 607
INJURY
% OF YEARLY TOTAL 8.35% 6.78% 5.59% 7.44% 5.95% 6.67% • Over the 5-year period, more
BODILY INJURY 263 296 399 408 471 1837 than 72% of all force incidents
SUBSTANTIAL BODILY
INJURY
2 7 7 7 11 34 resulted in no injuries to the
SERIOUS BODILY
INJURY
2 1 1 2 7 13 subject.
DEATH 1 2 2 6 8 19
TOTAL (“Observed
268 306 409 423 497 1903
Injury")
% OF YEARLY TOTAL 21.53% 20.96% 20.79% 20.43% 21.11% 20.92%
• Subjects that sustained some
TOTAL 1245 1460 1967 2070 2354 9096
form of injury (other than
complaint of injury) remained
% OF YEARLY TOTAL relatively constant at about
80.00%

60.00%
21% of all force incidents for
40.00% each year.
20.00%

0.00%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

NONE COMPLAINT OF INJURY INJURY

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 Officer’s Injuries
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 5-YR TOTAL
NONE 1143 1423 1842 1937 2227 8572

% OF YEARLY TOTAL 91.81% 97.47% 93.65% 93.57% 94.60% 94.24%

COMPLAINT OF
18 4 18 11 17 68
INJURY

• From 2015 to 2019, more % OF YEARLY TOTAL 1.45% 0.27% 0.92% 0.53% 0.72% 0.75%

than 94% of all force incidents BODILY INJURY

SUBSTANTIAL BODILY
84 32 100 118 108 442

0 1 7 4 1 13
resulted in no injury to the INJURY
SERIOUS BODILY
0 0 0 0 1 1
officer. INJURY
DEATH 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL (“Observed
84 33 107 122 110 456
Injury")

• Officers sustained some form % OF YEARLY TOTAL 6.75% 2.26% 5.44% 5.89% 4.67% 5.01%

of injury (other than TOTAL 1245 1460 1967 2070 2354 9096

complaint of injury) in about Chart Title

5% of all force incidents over 120.00%
100.00%
the same 5-year period. 80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

NONE COMPLAINT OF INJURY INJURY

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 Measures to Address Trends
- Creation and implementation of
standardized use of force scenarios

- Increased emphasis on de-escalation

- Continued crisis intervention training

- Continued mental health first aid training

- Continued training to differentiate

between criminal vs. crisis engagement

- Use of force audits by the Training Division

utilizing BWC footage

- Amend the use of force form to capture

additional information (i.e. – de-escalation
information) and clarify existing
information (i.e. – firearm discharged vs.
displayed as a deadly force option).
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 Takeaways
- Force is sometimes needed to control an - Force is not always physical in nature and
incident and/or subject and is dependent may include techniques like "light touch" or
on an individual’s level of resistance. “escort.”

- While the number of force incidents have - Sometimes the display of a police tool
increased from 2015 to 2019, so have the (baton, CEW, OC Spray, etc.) is enough to
number of calls for service. gain the compliance of an individual.

- Less than half of one percent of all calls for - Most incidents in which force is used do not
service required an officer to use force to result in injury to either the officer or the
control a subject. subject.

- From 2015 to 2019, officers increasingly - The HPD has identified various trends over
encountered individuals who resisted an the years and has taken steps to provide
officer’s order to comply. additional training for officers.

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Questions ?