When it comes to reducing the use of force, the South Simcoe Police Service seems to be having stunning success.
Insp. Julio Fernandes presented the service’s annual report on use of force during the Jan. 18 police services board meeting at the South Division station in Bradford.
A use-of-force report must be completed by any service member who draws or discharges a firearm in public or who uses physical force on a person resulting in an injury requiring medical attention.
The total number of reports decreased to 32 in 2023 compared to 39 in 2022, with the biggest change being in the use of conductive energy weapons (CEW), commonly known as stun guns.
Local police drew stun guns 13 times in 2023, making it “the most common use of force option,” and frequently found drawing alone to be effective.
“The mere presence of the CEW itself gains compliance ... and de-escalates the situation,” Fernandes said.
Police only launched the probes four times and only used the unlaunched probes once.
While probes on wires can be launched to stun people from a distance, the probes can also be energized without launching to stun people in close quarters. This is officially referred to as a drive strike.
“Having the CEW as a use of force option definitely decreases having to use more physical force or to resort to other options such as the (baton) or (pepper) spray or anything else. It’s a very valuable tool,” Fernandes said in an interview after the meeting.
While the number of reports decreased for the year overall, Fernandes explained those numbers could be misleading as new rules implemented at the beginning of 2023 allowed for broader allowance of team use of force reports.
Prior to 2023, if multiple officers attending the same call used the same force item, officers were required to file individual reports, but under new standards, officers are now able to submit a team report.
According to annual data, there were 18 reports that stemmed from eight different events in 2022. But under the new reporting standards, most of those 18 could have been submitted as team reports.
Compared to 2022, the stats for 2023 include:
- Pistol drawn increased to seven from four
- Pistol fired decreased to three from six
- Shotgun drawn decreased to one from two
- Shotgun fired decreased to one from three
- Rifle drawn decreased to one from two
- Rifle fired decreased to zero from one
- Pepper spray use remained at zero
- Baton use remained at zero
- Use of bare hands decreased to zero from two
- Stun gun drawn increased to 13 from eight
- Stun gun arc use decreased to one from four
- Stun gun probes fired remained at four
- K-9 use decreased to one from three
The annual report shows 2023 is the fifth consecutive year where the number of incidents involving less-lethal options outnumbered firearms usage.
The 13 reports relating to officers drawing or firing firearms in 2023 decreased by five from 2022. And of those 13, four saw firearms discharged for compassionate reasons related to animal dispatch. The remaining nine firearms reports were the result of high-risk incidents throughout the year where police had concerns for public safety.
