Chokeholds and/or strangleholds are not permissible within the Olathe Police Department. Officers are neither trained nor authorized to use chokeholds or strangleholds. The action of constricting or closing the airway of any individual is an act of excessive force and is not permissible.

If an officer is unable to utilize other options of defense while engaged in a struggle for their life, then the officer may utilize any means necessary to prevent their assailant from continuing the assault.

Yes, Olathe Police Officers receive de-escalation training that is reinforced throughout their career. Officers receive initial de-escalation training at the Johnson County Regional Police Academy and continue this training throughout their career with three de-escalation trainers within the department. Officers are also trained in crisis intervention, which involves identifying mental health related incidents and appropriate response. The Olathe Police Department was a pioneering agency in the Midwest Region for the Mental Health Co-Responder program, which partners mental health professionals and law enforcement. A licensed mental health professional responds to calls for service, with Olathe Police Officers, when mental health intervention is needed.

Services Include:

• Assist to calm an individual who is in distress
• Assess the need for immediate mental health services, such as hospitalization
• Provide information about mental health resources available in the community for the individual and their family

The Olathe Police Department currently has two mental health co-responders jointly employed by the Johnson County Mental Health Department and the Olathe Police Department. The Olathe Police Department is a strong practitioner of the “One Mind Campaign,” which seeks to ensure successful interactions between police officers and persons affected by mental illness.

Yes, warnings are required where feasible with the understanding that in some circumstances it may not be feasible based on factors of the case. The Olathe Police Department policy reflects Kansas Law and the Tennessee v. Garner Supreme Court decision.

Yes, officers are required to exhaust all reasonable means before applying the use of deadly force. Compliance, without the need for force, is the goal of every officer and is safest for everyone involved. Incidents rising to the level of any force are stressful, and in most cases, rapidly evolving. There are rare occasions that an officer would use immediate deadly force such as an ambush situation or active shooter.

Yes, members of the Olathe Police Department have a duty to intercede. Any Olathe Police Officer present and observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances shall, when in a position to do so, intercede and stop that officer from continuing to apply excessive force. A supervisor will be notified immediately to document the incident.

Officers should move out of the path of an approaching vehicle instead of discharging their firearm at the vehicle or any of its occupants. An officer should only discharge a firearm at a moving vehicle or its occupants when the officer reasonably believes there are no other reasonable means available to avert the threat of the vehicle as a weapon, or if deadly force other than the vehicle is directed at the officer or others from occupants within the vehicle. Officers should not shoot at any part of a vehicle solely for the purpose of attempting to disable it. 

Officers shall use only that amount of force that reasonably appears necessary given the facts and circumstances perceived by the officer at the time of the event to accomplish a legitimate law enforcement purpose.

The Olathe Police Department uses a variety of training programs annually to re-instill the proper use of force techniques that may be required while on duty. Officers are exposed to critical incident training using the VirTra training simulators, use of force scenario driven block training, crowd control training, range training, de-escalation training, critical incident training for mental illness, and other use of force training venues throughout the country.

All instances of an officer involved shooting are investigated independently by the Johnson County Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team (OISIT). The purpose of OISIT is to provide transparency and does not allow the involved agency to participate as a member of the investigation team. OISIT establishes a protocol for the investigation and establishes a multi-jurisdictional team of experienced investigators and supervisors for the purpose of gathering evidence to present to the District Attorney. The District Attorney will determine whether anyone, officer or civilian, committed a crime in the course of events that led up to and included the shooting incident.

Yes, use of force incidents are reported. Each report is reviewed by the respective chain of command as well as the Training Unit to ensure compliance of tactics and techniques and can potentially reveal possible deficient areas for future training planning. Reports are then finalized in the Professional Standards Unit to ensure compliance with department policy, local, state, and federal law. Officers of the Olathe Police Department are equipped with body cameras, which are used to assist in the review of use of force incidents.