Page 40 - Ranger Manual 2017_Neat

Good verbal commands without arrogant or insensitive remarks are often all that is
needed for compliance. In addition, when using other “hands on” techniques, rangers
should also use verbal commands to gain compliance.
• Soft empty hand control: This is used when verbal commands are not effective and/or
in situations where suspects may be at risk of escalating force, fleeing from a higher
criminal act, or potentially harming someone. Joint locks, pressure points, and the escort
position are examples of soft empty hand controls. These techniques have low potential
for injury and inflict light pain in order to gain compliance with little or no bruising.
• Hard empty hand control: This is used to control active aggression, defensive
resistance (if lower levels of control have failed), or if rangers believe lower levels of
control will fail. Kicks and hand strikes are examples of hard empty hand controls.
These techniques have a high probability of giving suspects bruises, lacerations and/or
contusions. Rangers are taught to apply these techniques to nerve motor points on the
human body that shut down an attacker’s response more quickly than random target
areas.
• Intermediate weapons: Examples of these are chemical agents*, impact weapons^,
Tasers or improvised impact objects such as flashlights, radios, broomsticks, and other
ranger tools. Use of intermediate weapons is justified when lower forms of control have
failed, an active aggression situation is occurring, or when rangers believe their skills in
empty hand control would not be sufficient and the use of deadly force is not justified.
Any time an intermediate weapon is used, an ambulance must be called and a medical
assessment must be done as soon as the scene is safe, even if a suspect refuses medical
attention.

(* Oleoresin capsicum (OC) pepper spray or other department-issued chemical agent
may be used when an individual is actively aggressive. It may also be used against
individuals who are defensively resistant and have been given a warning that the
chemical spray will be used if they do not cease resistance or if they refuse to disperse in
a riot situation. Department-issued chemical spray may also be used to help resolve
barricaded suspects, hostages, crowd control, or other high-risk situations where the use
of such agents would likely help resolve the situation and reduce the risk of injury to
rangers and others. Department-issued chemical spray is not used on passively resistant
protestors without prior command authorization, nor is it used on individuals who are in
handcuffs.)

(^ When using an impact weapon, rangers should attempt to target motor points first,
joints and bony areas second, and never the clavicle, neck, or head unless in a deadly
force encounter. Improvised impact objects may be used to block an assailant’s attack
and should only be used if rangers cannot access a baton. (Note: The use of neck
restraints is prohibited unless rangers would otherwise be authorized to use deadly
force.)

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