I.  Purpose

Central Wyoming College recognizes that providing a safe environment is required to meet our mission. Central Wyoming College security staff seek to interact with the public as efficiently and unobtrusively as possible, but there may be times when security officers or security designees have to use force to protect themselves, students, staff or visitors. When force is needed to protect themselves or others, security officers and security designees shall use the minimum amount of force necessary and reasonable to protect themselves or others from harm. A security officer’s or security designee’s decision to use force must be reasonable in the light of the facts and the totality of the circumstances at the time confronting the security officer or security designee.

II.  Definitions

A.  CWC Security Officers are: 

1.  The Director - Campus Security who must meet all training requirements of this procedure (both non-lethal and potentially lethal force);
2.  Other employees under the direct supervision of the Director - Campus Security that are:

a.  retired peace officers in good standing; and
b.  certified by the Director - Campus Security to have met all training requirements of this procedure (both non-lethal and potentially lethal force); and
c.  recommended by the Director - Campus Security; and 
d.  authorized by the president in writing.

3.  Other employees under the direct supervision of the Director - Campus Security that are also active peace officers in good standing

B.  CWC Security Designees are employees under the direct supervision of the Director - Campus Security that have met the non-lethal training requirements of this procedure.

C.  Non-Lethal Force is force exerted by a security officer or security designee upon another person that under normal circumstances will likely not result in death or serious bodily injury.

D.  Potentially Lethal Force is force exerted by a security officer upon another person that under normal circumstances will likely result in death or serious bodily injury.  

III.  Any Use of Force 

A.  In situations where the security officer or security designee reasonably determines that use of force is required to protect themselves or others, local law enforcement must first be contacted if time and circumstance allow.
B.  Force can only be deployed once the security officer or security designee reasonably determines that it is required to protect themselves or a third party from immediate physical harm.
C.  Security officers and security designees are permitted to use force only in a manner consistent with the United States and Wyoming Constitutions, laws, court decisions,  and their training.
D.  Any incident requiring the use of force against any person on Central Wyoming College property shall be documented by all involved security officer(s) and security designee(s) completing a detailed report on the incident and include specific information as to why force was warranted. Copies of this report will be submitted to both the Director - Campus Security and the Chief Administrative Services Officer.  Both will maintain these reports for no less than ten years from the date of the incident.

IV.  Non-Lethal Force

A.  Non-lethal force can only be deployed by a security officer or security designee to protect themselves or a third party from immediate physical harm.
B.  Currently authorized methods of non-lethal force for campus security officers and security designees are

1.  physical holds; and 
2.  use of physical restraining devices, tasers and/or OC aerosol pepper spray that have been issued to the security officer or security designee by the college.

V.  Potentially Lethal Force

A.  Potentially lethal force can only be deployed by a security officer and only after the security officer reasonably determines  that it is required to protect themselves or a third party from an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury.
B.  Currently authorized potentially lethal equipment includes firearms issued to the security officer by the college as well as other backup firearms authorized as allowed for in this procedure.
C.  Firearms and ammunition:

1.  Security officers that are not active peace officers in good standing shall carry CWC Campus Security Department issued firearms and ammunition.  
2.  Security officers that are active peace officers in good standing working for a law enforcement agency full- or part-time may carry the duty weapon(s) and ammunition authorized by that agency and/or CWC Campus Security Department issued firearms and ammunition.
3.  Security officers may carry other backup firearms.  Such backup firearms and ammunition used when working for CWC must be explicitly authorized in writing and in advance of any use by the Director - Campus Security.

D.  Security officers are not authorized to fire warning shots.
E.  Security officers shall not point their firearm at persons whom the use of potentially lethal force is not imminent or appropriate.
F.  Ordinarily security officers should not shoot at or from a moving vehicle. Any decision to do so must be consistent with all requirements to use potentially lethal force in this procedure.

VI.  Training:  The Director- Campus Security will implement a training plan as part of this procedure that will minimally include:

A.  For Security Designees - These individuals must meet

1.  All training requirements as outlined in the current position description for this position on file with the HR Department; and 
2.  The minimum training requirements for Wyoming peace officers for any non-lethal force method the Director-Campus Security authorizes for that designee.  These training requirements for each authorized method of non-lethal force will follow best police practices and will be kept in writing by the Director - Campus Security.

B.  For Security Officers - These individuals must meet 

1.  All training requirements as outlined in the current position description for this position on file with the HR Department; and
2.  The minimum training requirements for Wyoming peace officers for any non-lethal force method the Director-Campus Security authorizes for that officer; and 
3.  The minimum Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy Standards requirements for Wyoming peace officers for firearms training and must be conducted by a certified firearms instructor; if the officer is an active peace officer in good standing with another law enforcement agency, this requirement is met when the officer submits a copy of their qualification record(s) from that agency to the Director of Campus Security; and
4.  The minimum hours of additional training required for Wyoming peace officer training.  The content of the training does not have to be equivalent to POST-certified peace officers as CWC Security Officers do not have arrest powers.  However, the same minimum number of hours must be met with training content the Director - Campus Security determines to be appropriate.

C.  Training Records:  Records of all training activities for every security designee and officer, including qualification and continuing firearms training, will be maintained by the Director - Campus Security.

VII.   Animals

A.  If the security officer or security designee deems that use of force is not immediately required:

1.  For domestic animals, the local police department will be called to handle the situation. 
2.  For non-domestic animals, officials from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department will be called to handle the situation.

B.  There may be times when potentially lethal force needs to be used against animals. Security officers may use potentially lethal force against animals only to protect themselves or others against vicious or aggressive animals.

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Revision History: 
10/10/2017     Temporary Adoption
1/30/2019       Permanent Adoption effective March 1, 2019
4/23/2021       Revised effective April 23, 2021