2021/10/13 Council Agenda Packet

necessary to maintain the benefit of time, distance, and cover; when there are multiple officers, designating one officer to communicate in order to avoid competing commands; calling for additional resources such as a crisis intervention team or mental health professional when possible; calling for back-up officers when encountering resistance; taking as much time as necessary, without using physical force or weapons; and leaving the area if there is no threat of imminent harm and no crime has been committed, is being committed, or is about to be committed; (d) When possible, use available and appropriate less -than -lethal alternatives before using deadly force; and (e) Make less -than -lethal alternatives issued to the officer reasonably available for their use. As a result of RCW 10.116.040, Everett Police Officers working or supporting patrol and on the Special Operations Group no longer have access to long range less -than -lethal alternatives that they had available to them before the legislative changes. Additionally, RCW 10.120.020 mandates that Everett Police Officers are required to use available and appropriate less -than -lethal alternatives before using deadly force and the Everett Police Department is required to make less -than -lethal alternatives reasonably available. Everett Police Officers who encounter individuals must now utilize less -than -lethal options that are not capable of long-range deployment, such as collapsible batons, conducted energy weapons, or OC spray. Each of these options require the officers to be at a close range to the individual upon whom force is being used, which increases the likelihood of harm to the individual and the officer. Being in close proximity to the person against whom force is being used is in opposition to the requirements set forth in RCW 10.120.020.2(a) which states that officers shall, when possible, exhaust