Captain speaks on Use of Force in 2024

Sheridan Police Department Captain Tom Ringley made an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse to discuss the SPD Use of Force statistics for the 2024 year. 

According to the Captain, the use of force is conduct on the part of a police officer designed to assist the officer in controlling a situation or the actions or behavior of a person or persons. SPD officers are authorized to use the amount of objectively reasonable force in light of facts and circumstances confronting them to accomplish lawful objectives.

Capt. T. Ringley

The types of force utilized by SPD officers vary from a professional presence and the use of verbal commands, physical force and the employment of trained empty hand techniques.

Officers may use intermediate force involving the use of less lethal weapons against a person and forcibly subduing the individual with the assistance of these weapons until resistance is overcome. Less than lethal weapons include tasers, batons or oleoresin capsicum (O.C.) spray. Deadly force may be used by officers when they reasonably believe that the action is necessary in defense of human life.

SPD officers employed empty hand techniques on seven occasions, and deployed a Taser cartridge once and utilized Taser drive stuns four times in 2024. Officers did not deploy O.C. spray during the year and officers did not have to use deadly force in 2024.

Officers were injured in two use of force incidents (control holds) in 2024. The Captain reported that no injuries rose above the level of abrasions, sprains and bruises. No suspects were injured beyond the level of abrasions, sprains and bruises in 2024.