Salinas PD releases use-of-force policy.

The two officers who fatally shot Carlos Mejia on the corner of North Sanborn and Del Monte in East Salinas on May 20 are out on administrative leave, pending the results of the Salinas Police Department's investigation into the shooting. 

Just days before Mejia was killed, two police officers were cleared to return to duty after fatally shooting another man in the Mi Pueblo parking lot. 

What both shootings had in common is that officers responded to 911 calls. In each case, they say they couldn't get compliance to arrest and control the man. And in each case, they shot and killed a man, one whose weapon was a lettuce knife, the other a pair of hedge-trimming shears.

Those circumstances, plus a viral video of the May 20 shooting, have resulted in community outrage and protests, and allegations of police brutality. 

In response, the Salinas Police Department has released its use-of-force policy, and it's not as simple as using a gun only when there's a gun pointed straight at an officer. 

"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," according to the policy. 

Factors to consider in deciding on whether to apply force include: potential for injury to officers, suspects and others; seriousness of the suspected offense or reason for contact with the individual; the apparent need for immediate control of the subject; training and experience of the officer and the conduct of the individual being confronted, among others. 

The possession of a weapon is not an essential guideline for police officers in deciding whether to shoot, if the person is "capable of causing serious bodily injury or death." 

In the Mejia shooting and the prior shooting, which left 26-year-old Osman Hernandez dead, officers say the police were reacting to a threat. 

The families of both men have filed claims against the city of Salinas alleging wrongful death. 

"While the ultimate objective of every law enforcement encounter is to avoid or minimize injury, nothing in this policy requires an officer to retreat or be exposed to possible physical injury before applying reasonable force," the policy states. 

Salinas PD spends $12,400 a year on the policy, developed and maintained by Lexipol. Lexipol writes and maintains more than 150 separate policies for law enforcement, depending on legal requirements and court decisions that affect each state. 

"Lexipol provides comprehensive, defensible policies written by legal and public safety professionals," according to the Orange County-based company's website. 

The last time the Salinas Police Department wrote its own use-of-force policy was in 2000, when officials ended an eight-month process.

"It becomes outdated even before they finish writing it," Salinas Police Department spokesman Spencer Critchley says. "You have to be very vigilant in following all the relevant court decisions."

Lexipol provides the department's complete policy, not just its use-of-force guidance, and provides daily training bulletins. All materials are updated following court decisions that change protocol.