CT HB06462

Section 29 of Public Act 20-1 from the July special session takes effect January 1, 2022, with an effective date of March 31, 2021.

Peace officers, special policemen, and authorized Department of Correction or Board of Pardons and Paroles officials may use deadly physical force only when their actions are objectively reasonable and either to defend themselves or others from imminent deadly force, or to effect arrest or prevent escape in specific circumstances.

Deadly force to arrest or prevent escape is limited to felonies involving serious physical injury and requires the officer to have reasonably determined no alternatives exist, create no unreasonable risk to third parties, and provide warning where feasible.

Officers evaluating use of deadly force must consider whether the subject possessed or appeared to possess a deadly weapon, whether reasonable deescalation measures were attempted first, and whether the officer's own unreasonable conduct increased the risk of the situation.

The standard changes from "exhausted all alternatives" and "no substantial risk" to "reasonably determined that there are no available reasonable alternatives" and "no unreasonable risk."