4-23-2024_Staff-ReportITEM NO. 9.B.
1
Meeting Date: April 23, 2024
Departments: Public Safety
Submitted By: Tim Mattos, Director of Public Safety
Prepared By: Nicole Litzie, Support Services Manager
Kevin S. Kilgore, Deputy Chief
Agenda Title: Accept Report from Public Safety Showing Use of Force and Traffic Citation
Statistics for 2023
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive informational report on Public Safety in Rohnert Park pertaining to police use of force and
traffic citation statistics for 2023 with a comparison to City demographics.
BACKGROUND:
Law enforcement entails the difficult and admirable job of providing critical services to the community
they protect and serve. The nature of the job creates situations that place officers in harm’s way, which
may require them to use force. However, it is imperative that police officers conduct themselves with
the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.
As part of the goals and priorities established in 2021 related to police/community relations and police
accountability, Public Safety Director Tim Mattos began presenting an annual statistical report to the
City Council. This report includes statistical data relating to the number of times officers used forced
during the performance of their duties, and traffic citation data which included the number of moving
citations and mechanical citations. The use of force and traffic citation data was then compared to the
existing City of Rohnert Park census data to determine how the use of force and traffic enforcement
was being used among the diverse members of the community.
ANALYSIS:
The use of force, in the context of law enforcement, can be defined as the “amount of effort required
by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject.” The use of force by an officer is governed by
both law and agency policy. In addition, police officers are given an inherent trust by the community
they serve and must value and understand their responsibility in maintaining that trust. Every member
of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety understands the importance of using only that force
necessary to stop the unlawful resistance they are experiencing from a subject being lawfully detained.
It is the expectation that every member of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety understand
and adhere to the principle that every person who lives, works, visits, or travels through Rohnert Park
can be confident in an expectation that any interaction with the police will be fair and free from bias or
discrimination.
Mission Statement
“We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to Build a
Better Community for Today and Tomorrow.”
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
ITEM NO. 9.B.
2
In an effort to provide transparency, while at the same time working within the parameters of current
law, the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety has published the following definitions to
better understand the different levels of force, as well as use of force statistics, on our Public Safety
Transparency web page.
Definitions
The following are not categorized as a “Use of Force” or a “Threat of Use of Force”
• Officer Presence/Verbal Directions/Control Hold Cuffing Techniques: The mere presence of a
law enforcement officer works to deter crime or diffuse a situation, provided the officer’s
attitude is professional and non-threatening.
• Verbalization: Officers issue calm, non-threatening commands. Officers may need to raise their
voice and shorten commands to gain compliance.
• Control Hold Cuffing Techniques: The use of cuffing techniques is designed to provide safety
to the officer and subject involved in the contact.
The following are categorized as a “Use of Force”
• Empty Hand Control: An officer uses grabs, holds, and joint locks to overcome resistance,
obtain compliance, or restrain an individual. Officers may be required to use punches or kicks
to restrain an individual.
• Restraint: The use of a leg wrap or hobble to prevent a subject from using their legs and feet to
kick law enforcement personnel.
• Less Lethal Methods: The three most common uses of less lethal force are:
• -Blunt impact: An officer uses a baton or projectile to immobilize a combative person.
• -Chemical: An officer uses chemical spray, (e.g., pepper spray), to subdue a combative person.
• -Conducted Energy Device: An officer uses a taser to subdue a combative person.
• Lethal/Deadly Force: Officers may use a deadly weapon to stop an individual’s actions. Deadly
force is only authorized when a subject poses an immediate threat of loss of life or serious
bodily injury to the officer or another individual.
The following is categorized as a “Threat of Use of Force”
• Show of Force: An officer draws and exhibits their baton, taser, or firearm in order to gain
compliance (e.g., when an officer encounters an occupied stolen vehicle, the officer will
conduct a “high risk traffic stop” which includes drawing their firearm as a result of an in-
progress felony crime).
Statistical Data
In addition to identifying the number of use of force incidents by Rohnert Park Department of Public
Safety officers involving residents of Rohnert Park, the data also provides a look at use of force as it
pertains to the demographics of the City. The information provided is based on statistics available to
the Department beginning January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.
ITEM NO. 9.B.
3
The statistical data used in this document was gathered from the Rohnert Park Department of Public
Safety’s records systems. Census data was obtained from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/
table/rohnertparkcitycalifornia
The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety has been very proactive in providing de-escalation
training to all sworn personnel in order to better equip officers with the additional tools to continue
lessening the need for uses of force. It is not reasonable to believe that every call for service can be
handled without force being used, however the Department subscribes to ensuring force is only applied
when necessary. In addition, the Department’s Administration constantly monitors and evaluates every
use or show of force.
SHOW/USE OF FORCE
• Total events with officer contact: 31,183
• Events resolved without a show/use of force: 99.7%
Events with show/use of force involving residents of Rohnert Park: 17
Show of Force Use of Force
Pointing
Firearm
Pointing
Taser
Empty
Hand
Control
Restraint
Less
Lethal
Methods
Lethal/
Deadly
Force
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0 0 0 0 0
Asian 0 0 0 0 0 0
Black or African American 0 1 0 0 0 0
Hispanic or Latino 3 0 2 1 1 0
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0 0 0
White 4 1 1 2 1 0
Other/Two of More Races 0 0 0 0 0 0
1
3
5
4 4
American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian Black or African
American
Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific
Islander
White Other/Two or More
Races
Show of Force
Use of Force
ITEM NO. 9.B.
4
Events with show/use of force involving non-Rohnert Park residents: 37
Show of Force Use of Force
Pointing
Firearm
Pointing
Taser
Empty
Hand
Control
Restraint
Less
Lethal
Methods
Lethal/
Deadly
Force
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0 0 0 0 0
Asian 0 0 0 1 0 0
Black or African American 2 0 1 0 1 0
Hispanic or Latino 11 2 2 1 4 0
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0 0 0
White 1 1 0 2 8 0
Other/Two of More Races 0 0 0 0 0 0
CITATIONS
In addition to use of force information, we have provided a statistical breakdown of the traffic
enforcement by members of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety during the time period of
January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Moving and non-moving citations are issued for
violations such as speeding, unsafe turning, failure to yield, stop signs, cell phone use, seatbelt
violations, and fix-it tickets are issued for registration violations, modified exhaust, headlight color,
tinted windows, etc.
• Total traffic stops: 7,647
• Citations issued: 1,999
2
13
312
7
9
American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian Black or African
American
Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific
Islander
White Other/Two or
More Races
Show of Force
Use of Force
ITEM NO. 9.B.
5
Citations issued to residents of Rohnert Park: 688
Citations issued to non-Rohnert Park residents: 1,311
1 4 2
46
2
62
2013124
165
13
219
98
American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian Black or African
American
Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific
Islander
White Other/Two or
More Races
Fix-It Ticket
Moving/Non-Moving Violation
0 7 9
88
1
131
3734046
325
11
456
157
American Indian
and Alaska Native
Asian Black or African
American
Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific
Islander
White Other/Two or
More Races
Fix-It Ticket
Moving/Non-Moving Violation
ITEM NO. 9.B.
6
DEMOGRAPHICS
% in the Rohnert Park Population
(2020 Census)
Approximate # of People
(44,411 total population estimate)
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.9% 400
Asian 6.6% 2,931
Black or African American 3.4% 1,510
Hispanic or Latino 28.3% 12,568
Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander 0.7% 311
White 68.2% 30,288
Other/Two or More Races 12.4% 5,507
Female 51.9% 23,049
Male 48.1% 21,362
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
No environmental impact is anticipated.
STRATEGIC PLAN AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES ALIGNMENT:
This report reflects the Strategic Plan’s goals of delivering effective public services and practicing
participative leadership.
OPTIONS CONSIDERED:
1. RECOMMENDED – Receive informational report on Public Safety in Rohnert Park pertaining
to police use of force and traffic citation statistics for 2023.
FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE:
There is no additional fiscal impact from receiving and accepting this report. Costs for activities
directed by Council may need additional appropriations for Administration, City Attorney, and Public
Safety departments in order to support the administrative needs and reviews to accomplish goals.
Code Compliance Approval Date:
Department Head Approval Date: 04/08/2024
Finance Approval Date: N/A
Human Resources Approval Date: N/A
City Attorney Approval Date: N/A
City Manager Approval Date: 04/09/2024
Attachments: None