Let me give you a little background on myself. I am a retired federal LEO and have also worked as a reserve Sheriff's deputy. I have attended two LE academies. I have trained and trained with a myriad of federal state and local agencies. All depeartments have use of force policies. They are all materially indifferent. Some of the language changes a little, but substantially they are similar. Below I have copied and pasted a relevant portions of Denver's use of force policy. I'd bet my life that the Scotland Neck NC use of force policy is basically the same. I made some highlights for those of us that are a bit ADD. One thing that is not taught well in formal LEO training is that immediate action isn't always necessary. Officers are taught that they must control the situation. I learned that in certain circumstances quiet observation was the best way to control the situation. I learned and employed deescalation techniques. In some ways I feel badly for the young officer as I feel certain he wasn't taught alternative control techniques, but on the other hand intimate familiarity with his agency's use of force policy topped with a dollop of common sense would have prevented this tragic outcome.

For the idiot that first carted out the race card...you are an idiot. That you did so with so little information is a sad reflection on your character and mindset.

b. Types of Resistance
1. Psychological Intimidation - Non-verbal cues in attitude, appearance, demeanor or
posture that indicates an unwillingness to cooperate or a threat.
2. Verbal Non-Compliance - Verbal responses indicating an unwillingness to comply with
officer's directions or threat to injure a person.
3. Passive Resistance - Physical actions that do not prevent the officer's attempt to control,
for example, a person who remains in a limp or prone position.
4. Defensive Resistance - Physical actions that attempt to prevent officer's control including
flight or attempt to flee, but do not involve attempts to harm the officer.
5. Active Aggression - A threat or overt act of an assault, coupled with the present ability to
carry out the threat or assault, which reasonably indicates that an assault or injury to any
person is imminent.
6. Aggravated Active Aggression - Deadly force encounter.
7. Psychological Intimidation, Verbal Non-Compliance and Passive Resistance usually do

b. Acceptable uses of the ERD/TASER include:
1. To incapacitate a combative or physically resistive person; whose conduct rises
at least to the level of Active Aggression. The purpose is to neutralize the
person to the point they can be safely controlled and taken into custody. This
use of force option becomes necessary when other force options would be
inappropriate or ineffective under the circumstances. (Active Aggression: A
threat or overt act of an assault, coupled with the present ability to carry out the
threat or assault, which reasonably indicates that an assault or injury to any
person is

2. In situations when its use is likely to prevent an officer or a third person from
serious bodily injury, OR
3. To incapacitate a suicidal person who can’t be safely controlled with other force