Use of Force - Subject Information
What's the deal with the Use of force subject segment?
So, you answered "Yes" to one (or more) of the Use of Force Qualification Questions on the Incident segment - and now you need to record subject information.
The "Subject Segment" supplies the demographic information and characteristics of the subject (or subjects) involved in the Use of Force Incident. This information includes demographic items such as:
Subject Gender
Subject Age
Subject Height
Subject Weight
The "Subject Segment" also includes characteristics such as:
Subject Impairment(s)
Subject Resistance Type(s)
Subject Force Type(s)
Subject Injury Type(s)
*Reminder - If you are a Pennsylvania agency, your department must collect Use of Force information, per Act 180 (Starting January 1st, 2023).
Get it right the first time!
In-Synch RMS includes intelligent data entry screens and validation for the Use of Force data elements, ensuring your personnel enters data correctly. Check out the excerpt from our training video to see it in action.
Download the resources from the video.
Subject Data Elements
Now that we've discussed the basics, let’s take a look at some of the Subject data elements collected in Pennsylvania Use of Force Reporting in more detail:
Subject Race?
Used to indicate the race and ethnicity of the subject
Mandatory
At least one Race/Ethnicity ID must be provided
Valid Races
A - Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
B - Black or African-American: A person having origins in any of the
black racial groups of Africa.
I - American Indian or Alaskan Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Americas and maintaining cultural identification through tribal affiliations or community recognition.
P - Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. The term "Native Hawaiian" does not include individuals who are native to the State of Hawaii by virtue of being born there.
However, the following Pacific Islander groups are included: Carolinian, Fijian, Kosraean, Melanesian, Micronesian, Northern Mariana Islander, Palauan, Papua New Guinean, Ponapean (Pohnpelan), Polynesian, Solomon Islander, Tahitian, Tarawa Islander, Tokelauan, Tongan, Trukese (Chuukese), and Yapese.
W - White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of
Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.
U - Unknown/Not Reported
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
Subject Gender?
Used to indicate the gender of the subject.
Mandatory
Gender is mandatory, and only one value can be provided for a subject
Valid Genders
F - Female
M - Male
X - Gender Non-Binary (Not male, not female)
U - Unknown (Not reported)
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
Subject Age?
Used to indicate the age of the subject
Mandatory
Age is mandatory, and only one value can be provided for a subject
Valid Data Values
NN - Under 24 Hours
NB - 1-6 Days Old
BB - 7-364 Days Old
01-98 - Years Old
99 - Over 98 Years Old
Subject Height?
Used to indicate the height of a subject.
Mandatory
Subject height is collected in two parts; feet and inches
Feet
Only one value can be provided for a subject
Must be an integer between 0 and 10
Inch
Only one value can be provided for a subject
Must be an integer between 0 and 11
Subject Weight?
Used to indicate the weight of a subject in pounds.
Mandatory
Only one value can be provided for a subject
Must be an integer
Subject Impairment?
Used to indicate the impairment type of the subject at the time of the incident.
Mandatory
Only one value can be provided for a subject
Valid Data Values
Yes
No
PA Removed Values
Pending - Pending further investigation
Unknown - Unknown and is unlikely to ever be known
Subject Impairment Types?
Used to indicate the total number of other responding agencies whose officer(s) used force during the incident
Conditional
If "Subject Impairment" is "Yes," then at least one value must be provided for "Subject Impairment Type."
Valid Impairment Types
Alcohol - Alcohol Impairment
Drugs - Drug Impairment
Mental - Mental health condition
PA Removed Values
Pending - Pending further investigation
Unknown - Unknown and is unlikely to ever be known
Subject Resisted?
Used to indicate if the subject resisted during the incident.
Mandatory
One value must be provided for the subject
Valid Data Values
Yes
No
PA Removed Values
Pending - Pending further investigation
Unknown - Unknown and is unlikely to ever be known
Subject Resistance Types?
Used to indicate the resistance used by the subject during the incident.
Conditional
If "Subject Resisted" is "Yes," then at least one value must be submitted for "Subject Resistance Type."
Valid Resistance Types
BARRICADE - Barricading self
ESCAPE/FLEE - Attempt to escape/flee from custody
FIREARM - Using a firearm against an officer or another
PHYSICAL - Using hands/fists/feet against an officer or another
DISPLAY WEAPON - Displaying a weapon at an officer or another
BODY FLUIDS - Intentionally spitting or bleeding on an officer
THROWING - Throwing an article or object at an officer
NONCOMPLIANCE - Failing to comply with verbal commands or other types of passive resistance
OTHER WEAPON - Using another weapon (such as a chemical agent, edged weapon, electronic control weapon, or blunt object) against an officer or another
RESISTED - Resisted being handcuffed or arrested
VERBAL - Making verbal threats
VEHICLE - Directing a vehicle at an officer or another
PA Removed Values
Pending - Pending further investigation
Unknown - Unknown and is unlikely to ever be known
Subject Threat Directed At?
Used to indicate who the threat by the subject(s) was perceived by the officer(s) to be directed to, the officer, or to another party.
Mandatory
One value must be provided for the subject
Valid Threat Values
Another - Another Party
Both - Both the officers and others
Officer - Officer
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
UNKNOWN - Unknown and is unlikely ever to be known
Subject Armed?
Used to indicate if the law enforcement official felt the subject was armed during the incident with a weapon (other than hands, fists, and feet).
Mandatory
Only one value can be provided for a subject
Valid Data Values
Yes
No
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
UNKNOWN - Unknown and is unlikely ever to be known
Subject Force Types?
Used to indicate the type of force the officer(s) used on the subject during the incident.
Mandatory
“FIREARM” must be specified in this data element for at least one subject if “DISCHARGE” is provided for Use of Force Qualification Question 3. (In this incident, did an officer in your department discharge their firearm at or in the direction of a person, that otherwise did not result in death or serious bodily injury?)
Valid Force Types
BATON - Baton
BLUNT OBJECT - Blunt instrument/Flashlight
CANINE - Canine
CHEMICAL - Chemical agent/Pepper or OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray
ELECTRONIC - Electronic control weapon (Taser®)
EXPLOSIVE - Explosive device
FIREARM - Firearm
OTHER - Other
PHYSICAL - Hands-fists-feet
PROJECTILE - Impact projectile
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
UNKNOWN - Unknown and is unlikely ever to be known
Subject Injury Types?
Used to indicate the type of injuries sustained by the subject.
Mandatory
Multiple values can be provided within the data element
If “DEATH” is provided, no other values can be provided for the subject
If “NONE” is provided, no other values can be provided for the subject
Valid Injury Types
DEATH - Death
GUNSHOT - Gunshot Wound (including minor or grazing wounds)
NONE - None
OTHER SERIOUS INJURY - Serious injury requiring medical intervention or hospitalization
UNCONSCIOUSNESS - Unconsciousness (regardless of duration)
PA Removed Values
PENDING - Pending further investigation
UNKNOWN - Unknown and is unlikely ever to be known
