The Use of Force Part 2 - Verbal Force

 We continue the series on the use of force in law enforcement with Part 2 - Verbal Force.

    Verbal force is nothing more than using the voice to issue anything from a greeting to instruction to a command. Being able to control and use the voice effectively is probably one of the officer's most important skills, and it is not only when investigating a crime or making an arrest. In order to facilitate keeping the peace, communication between the officer and the general public is important. The public must regain the ability to see an officer as a guardian and not an intruder. The officer must be able to integrate into the community and have a working knowledge of its personality and needs.

    As in the use of force continuum, the use of verbal force has many levels and an officer must choose which level to use and be flexible and attentive to changing as the situation commands. Here is my version of the Verbal force continuum:

• Normal Conversation: The use of a steady and friendly voice when interacting with the public is essential. It's often not about what is said, but how it is said. Being friendly does not require the sharing of details about personal lives unless the situation calls for it professionally. Personal anecdotes when pertinent to the situation are fine, but it is dangerous to reveal specific details about family and home life.
   
• Inquiring tone: Interviewing victims, witnesses, and potential suspects can make use of the conversational tone as it puts the interviewee more at ease. Making a gradual transition to a more businesslike demeanor in order to obtain and organize information is called for, and the officer may have to switch back and forth to get the needed results.
  
  
• Official tone: It is important for the public to realize that the initial moment of contact during a motor vehicle stop or questioning by an officer is a most critical one. Both sides will form immediate impressions and the success or failure of the encounter rests on a good first impression. The officer has been trained in how to make that contact properly. The question is whether the officer will use his training or come across as accusatory of hectoring.
  
  The driver should remember that until the officer makes the reason for the encounter clear, jumping to conclusions serves no purpose and could influence the officer in a negative way. The simple difference between "May I see your license and registration please" versus "Lemme see your license and registration", and a much harsher "Do you have a license?" can make or break a simple routine traffic stop or contact.
  
  Both the driver and the officer should also take body language into account. The officer should take a safe and official stance without seeming to be "squaring off". The driver should remain seated until told otherwise, keeping the hands on the steering wheel and clearly visible unless the officer gives instructions to retrieve documents.
  
  Under no circumstances should the officer be challenged. Statements such as "Why are you stopping me?" and "Don't you have anything better to do" are never a good idea. This is NOT the time for a doughnut joke. There is no way to know what kind of day the officer is having, and to be honest, interest in your day will not be expressed. The topic of conversation is going to lead to the reason the officer stopped you soon enough and the safest course of action is to be cooperative, non-confrontational, and if the officer does get out of line, remember this: "Smile for the camera." There's always time to make a complaint later if you have reason to do so, and any video that may surface will tell the story. Don't make it worse by acting out or being uncooperative.
   
• Command voice: When a situation develops that a suspect must comply with an officer's instructions, the use of a louder volume and stronger tone is employed. Taking control of the suspect properly will limit their desire and ability to comply. Often a threatening tone will inspire a suspect's "fight or flight" instinct. This must be avoided at all costs.
  
  
• As the situation changes, the officer must change his tone as well. Once the suspect is in custody, there is no reason to maintain the command tone; In fact, once it has been established that the individual has either been cleared of any violations or a summons for it has been issued, the officer should return to a conversational tone and end the contact.
  
  If an arrest has been made and the suspect is in custody, that suspect should be well aware who is in charge at that point. The officer should never antagonize a suspect in custody as there is no further need for the force continuum at all. Instead the officer will be observing the behavior of the suspect and will employ diversionary conversation. The suspect must be kept as at ease as possible and still know that resistance will be met with force.      
  

    There are several moments when an officer is the most vulnerable during an encounter with the public. Even during an interview with a potential witness, there is always the possibility that the individual is actually the suspect the officer is seeking. Another is at the point where hands on contact may be needed. Firm directions about how a suspect should move during restraint, for example, will prevent a situation from escalating to a physical struggle. Clear step by step instructions, with a quick caution that doing anything else will lead to an altercation that the suspect will lose.

    When I was working for the Human Services Police, we often were called upon to interact with the psychiatric patients. Most found the uniform intimidating, which wasn't helpful especially when the detail called for the patient to be escorted for a medical or dental appointment. The conversational tone was used for part A as follows. A more serious tone was used for part B:

    "My name is Officer Zuccarelli and I'm here to take you to the dentist. Let's face it, you don't want to go and I really don't want to take you. But it's a nice day out and we can make the best of it. You have to travel in handcuffs, I can't do anything about that. But I can cuff your hands in front, we can take it nice and easy and when we get out to the car and moving I can turn on music and open the windows. I'll make it as comfortable as I can, and as long as you cooperate we'll get along fine".

    Only on the first encounter did I ever have to use part B:

    "Or, you may be interested in your second option. If you choose to make things difficult for me, I will handcuff you behind your back, I will make sure you know exactly what you can and cannot do every step of the way, the windows stay up, the music stays off, and when we get to the dentist you will be happy to be there. I don't like treating people that way, but how I treat you isn't up to me, it's up to you."

    The tone is moderated and the words chosen very carefully. In short, the suspect knows I mean business and considering I weighed about a hundred pounds less than most of the people I transported, they had to know that a confrontation would end badly for them if we were to have one.

    The basic rule of thumb is as the possibility for resistance grows, the need for a more formal and no nonsense tone and verbiage is necessary. Choosing a tone that establishes the idea that such resistance will only make matters worse is key to officer and public safety.

    Clear and concise verbal communication extends beyond the words chosen. Controlling tone of voice and continually adjusting the demeanor as the situation escalates or de-escalates is essential to a safe conclusion of any contact with the public.

Next: Part 3: Empty Hand Control - Physical Force