Sheriff Quentin Miller releases revised use of force policy

Press release from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office:

Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller is releasing a newly updated use of force policy that mandates deputies and officers intervene if excessive force, whether physical or psychological, is being used by another deputy or officer. The policy also mandates use of force reporting and supervisor notification for all deputies on scene of a use of force incident. 

“We believe in reform and this is what it looks like. All of our deputies at the Sheriff’s Office will undergo training on this policy each year they are on the job,” says Sheriff Quentin Miller.

 The duty to intercede clause reads:

“If a deputy or a detention officer observes another deputy, detention officer, or employee using force clearly beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances existing at the time, the deputy or detention officer shall intercede to prevent the use of unreasonable force when in a position to do so. Intervention may initially be verbal but should progress to physical intervention when necessary to prevent physical harm. Thereafter the deputy or detention officer shall promptly report the incident to a supervisor as outlined in the personnel complaints policy.”

The policy also restricts the use of shooting at moving vehicles unless, “no other option is available to the deputy to stop an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the deputy or another person.” 

Additionally notification to the SBI is strengthened and clarified in this policy, “any incident involving the use of force where death or life-threatening injuries reasonably appear to have occurred.”

The policy is effective today after an internal review and evaluation that included command staff and supervisors from across the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies and detention officers have read and reviewed the policy prior to it going into effect.