The Continuum of Force

Force Not Used – “At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.” (Acts 5:26)

Defensive Force Permitted – “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed…” (Exodus 22:2)

Excessive Force Condemned – “This is what the LORD says…I will not turn back my wrath. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom's king," (Amos 2:1)

Your Safety Ministry needs to view the use of force as a last resort, something to employ only if harm will come to people without its use.  No Ministry wants to use force but must prepare to use it properly and effectively, especially if that Ministry has armed Safety Team Members.

In Physics, "force" is any action that moves an object or changes its motion.  In everyday usage, force is effort/energy used to move something or achieve an objective.  By extension, ‘to force’ means to compel another person to perform or cease performing an action, and the ‘force’ we use is the means to do that.

In church safety and security, there are times we may have to prevent a person from harming himself or herself and/or others, to cause someone to stop an unsafe action, or to keep a situation from getting out of hand.  We are using some kind of force when we do this.  This brings up the question of what kind of force do we use and at what level.

We would naturally think of this as ‘mild’ force, ‘strong’ force, or ‘somewhere in between.’ While it is normally all right to think of force this way in everyday life, when it comes to law enforcement, private security, and Church Safety Ministry, and there is a self-defense situation legal liability, both civil and criminal, comes into play.  Therefore, federal and state laws (and in some places local laws) define the use of force and regulate how it is used.  These laws are further clarified by the courts.  As a result, levels of force need to be clearly identified.

When government agencies are involved, the 4th and 8th Amendments to the Constitution also apply. [1] Indirectly, church security is downstream from this, and use-of-force laws and standards for law enforcement eventually apply to us in some way.

When we are trying to explain when force is mild or strong, or try to express where in between a certain level of force is, we quickly discover that there are many levels between strong and mild. This is what a continuum [kahn-TIN-you-uhm] is.  Fortunately, there are markers along the continuum to identify five sections.  This is called the Continuum of Force, developed by law enforcement agencies and the US Department of Justice to guide officers in knowing what level of force to use.

The current standard in law enforcement and security services is to keep the level of force to as little as is needed.  California’s new law actually puts a premium on an officer acting in a way which avoids using more force while still maintaining order.  The question is, "Did the officer needlessly put himself or herself in a dangerous position?" [2] Shouldn't that be the standard for a Church Safety Team?  To put it another way, "Are we the ones escalating a situation instead of deescalating it?"

Let’s take a moment and discuss the five levels of The Continuum of Force.  Notice how at each level the amount of force increases as we go down the list.  It is common for the level of force to go from level two to level three and back again in a matter of seconds.  The force level should always be appropriate for the situation and adjusted up and down as the situation requires.

Level 1 - Physical Presence

This is the mildest level of force, but is effective.  Notice how quickly traffic slows when a patrol car is seen in the median or at the edge of the road.  We can extend this to the appearance of presence, such as a visible camera, a monitor showing what a security camera is viewing, a uniform, etc. The appearance can be behavioral, such as nodding at persons to let them know they have been noticed.

Level 2 – Verbal Communication

It’s an important tool if used wisely.  However, if we are not careful, we can escalate tensions. The Bible says a lot about using our words to calm tensions and bring peace, such as, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)  Many businesses and organizations train their people in skills such as conflict resolution.  On my Integrity Security Consulting blog I wrote more in detail on Verbal De-Escalation Techniques to help avoid violence. [3]

Level 3 - Control Holds & Restraints

This can be as mild as gently putting your hand on someone's shoulder and encouraging them to sit down or move, or as strong as unarmed self-defense with blows and throws.  Escort holds and wrist holds are sometimes used by a Church Safety Team.

We should be careful to use only the amount of force called for in the situation.  It is when physical force of any kind is used that there is a risk of civil or criminal liability.  If someone is injured, a lawsuit may result.  The force used should be proportional to the actions of the subject.

Many cases of excessive force by police did not involve weapons of any kind, but empty-hand control measures, such as arm twists and choke holds, resulting in broken bones, joint dislocation, and death.

Level 4 - Less Lethal Methods

This is the level where weapons come into play.  The broad term used includes anything held in the hand or thrown.  These used to be called non-lethal weapons, but misuse or excessive use can result in serious bodily injury or even death.  As a result, several states regulate how batons, pepper spray, and electrostatic discharge devices are used.  Some items, such as brass knuckles and black jacks, are generally banned since they are used in gang warfare.  We need to know our state's laws and local jurisdiction's ordinances on less lethal weapons, then exercise care if we have to use them.  Practicing their proper use builds the skill for controlling them.

Level 5 - Lethal Force

Finally, this is the last level on the list.  It is, or should be, a last resort.  Lethal weapons include not only firearms, but edged weapons.  When I was involved in the hiring and training of applicants for armed, contract security work, we were alert for signs that the applicant was too ready to use lethal or even less lethal force.  Firearms require training, and regular shooting practice.

The Continuum of Force tells us what level of force we are using.  We need to know how to maintain order with the least force necessary.  This way we can avoid escalation of situations, keep people safe, and maintain a good witness.  We may also preclude legal liability and costly insurance claims.

Be safe! 

[1] Grabel & Associates, www.grabellaw.com/criminal-amendments-in-the-bill-of-rights.html

[2] Anita Chabria, "Newsom signs ‘Stephon Clark's Law,' setting new rules on police use of force," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 2019 [https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-police-use-of-force-law-signed-20190711-story.html].

[3] Integrity Security Consulting, How to Handle a Behavioral Emergency, https://integrityssc.blogspot.com/2020/01/how-to-handle-behavioral-emergency.html

Integrity Security Consulting

Russ Sharrock

405-762-2471 | integrityseccon@hotmail.com

I have developed and made available to anyone interested, for FREE, a series of Security & safety forms that can be printed for your use:

1) A Safety & Security Risk Assessment Form

2) Church Security Plan Template

3) Church Emergency Plan Template

4) A General Fire Safety Checklist

5) A Bomb Threat Checklist

6) A Bomb Threat Distance Chart:  Includes various types of explosive devises and to be referred to in an event of a bomb threat evacuation.  These are minimum distances to evacuate away from the area of explosion.

7) Facility Lockdown Checklist

8) Child Protection Covenant

These MS Word documents can be adapted as necessary to fit your church size and needs.  I will be adding new forms as time allows.

For a copy of any of these FREE forms, or if you have any questions, contact me and let me know what your needs are.