Use of Force Reporting

Use of Force Reporting

State law requires every police department and county sheriff's office to report any occurrence in which a police officer or peace officer employs the use of force under the following circumstances:

• When an officer engages in conduct which results in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. Serious bodily injury is defined as bodily injury that involves a substantial risk of death, unconsciousness, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty.
• In the absence of either death or serious bodily injury, when one of the following is initiated by an officer:
  • brandishes, uses or discharges a firearm at or in the direction of another person;
  • uses a chokehold or similar restraint that applies pressure to the throat or windpipe of a person in a manner that may hinder breathing or reduce intake of air;
  • displays, uses or deploys a chemical agent, including, but not limited to, oleoresin capsicum, pepper spray or tear gas;
  • brandishes, uses or deploys an impact weapon, including, but not limited to, a baton or billy; or
  • brandishes, uses or deploys an electronic control weapon, including, but not limited to, an electronic stun gun, flash bomb, or long range acoustic device.

The Mount Vernon Police Department reports all Uses of Force to the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) via the eJusticeNY Law Enforcement portal. This data, along with data from all the other Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the state was combined into a Statewide Use of Force Report that was published by DCJS. A copy of the report can be viewed by clicking the link below.

New York State Use of Force Incident Report