Sec. 53a-22. Use of physical force in making arrest or preventing escape.
Sec. 53a-22. Use of physical force in making arrest or preventing escape. (a)
For purposes of this section, a reasonable belief that a person has committed an offense
means a reasonable belief in facts or circumstances which if true would in law constitute
an offense. If the believed facts or circumstances would not in law constitute an offense,
an erroneous though not unreasonable belief that the law is otherwise does not render
justifiable the use of physical force to make an arrest or to prevent an escape from
custody. A peace officer, special policeman appointed under section 29-18b, Department of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed under section 14-8 and certified pursuant
to section 7-294d, or an authorized official of the Department of Correction or the Board
of Pardons and Paroles who is effecting an arrest pursuant to a warrant or preventing
an escape from custody is justified in using the physical force prescribed in subsections
(b) and (c) of this section unless such warrant is invalid and is known by such officer
to be invalid.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, a peace officer, special
policeman appointed under section 29-18b, Department of Motor Vehicles inspector
appointed under section 14-8 and certified pursuant to section 7-294d, or authorized
official of the Department of Correction or the Board of Pardons and Paroles is justified
in using physical force upon another person when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes such to be necessary to: (1) Effect an arrest or prevent the escape from
custody of a person whom he or she reasonably believes to have committed an offense,
unless he or she knows that the arrest or custody is unauthorized; or (2) defend himself
or herself or a third person from the use or imminent use of physical force while effecting
or attempting to effect an arrest or while preventing or attempting to prevent an escape.
(c) A peace officer, special policeman appointed under section 29-18b, Department
of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed under section 14-8 and certified pursuant to
section 7-294d, or authorized official of the Department of Correction or the Board of
Pardons and Paroles is justified in using deadly physical force upon another person for
the purposes specified in subsection (b) of this section only when he or she reasonably
believes such to be necessary to: (1) Defend himself or herself or a third person from
the use or imminent use of deadly physical force; or (2) effect an arrest or prevent the
escape from custody of a person whom he or she reasonably believes has committed or
attempted to commit a felony which involved the infliction or threatened infliction of
serious physical injury and if, where feasible, he or she has given warning of his or her
intent to use deadly physical force.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, a person who has been
directed by a peace officer, special policeman appointed under section 29-18b, Department of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed under section 14-8 and certified pursuant
to section 7-294d, or authorized official of the Department of Correction or the Board
of Pardons and Paroles to assist such peace officer, special policeman, motor vehicle
inspector or official to effect an arrest or to prevent an escape from custody is justified
in using reasonable physical force when and to the extent that he or she reasonably
believes such to be necessary to carry out such peace officer's, special policeman's,
motor vehicle inspector's or official's direction.
(e) A person who has been directed to assist a peace officer, special policeman
appointed under section 29-18b, Department of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed
under section 14-8 and certified pursuant to section 7-294d, or authorized official of the
Department of Correction or the Board of Pardons and Paroles under circumstances
specified in subsection (d) of this section may use deadly physical force to effect an
arrest or to prevent an escape from custody only when: (1) He or she reasonably believes
such to be necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person from what he or she
reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force; or (2) he or
she is directed or authorized by such peace officer, special policeman, motor vehicle
inspector or official to use deadly physical force, unless he or she knows that the peace
officer, special policeman, motor vehicle inspector or official himself or herself is not
authorized to use deadly physical force under the circumstances.
(f) A private person acting on his or her own account is justified in using reasonable
physical force upon another person when and to the extent that he or she reasonably
believes such to be necessary to effect an arrest or to prevent the escape from custody
of an arrested person whom he or she reasonably believes to have committed an offense
and who in fact has committed such offense; but he or she is not justified in using deadly
physical force in such circumstances, except in defense of person as prescribed in section
53a-19.
(1969, P.A. 828, S. 23; 1971, P.A. 826; 871, S. 8; P.A. 86-231; 86-403, S. 87, 132; P.A. 92-260, S. 7; May Sp. Sess.
P.A. 94-6, S. 23, 28; P.A. 04-257, S. 119; P.A. 05-108, S. 6; 05-180, S. 2; P.A. 08-150, S. 50.)
History: 1971 acts applied provisions of Subsecs. (a) to (f) to authorized officials of department of correction and
specified authority to use physical force to prevent escape from custody in Subsec. (a) and deleted former Subsec. (g)
which had allowed peace officers employed in correctional facilities to use force to prevent a prisoner's escape and specified
use of "reasonable" physical force; P.A. 86-231 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to add provision that the felony involve the
infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical injury and that the officer or official give a warning if feasible of his
intent to use deadly physical force; P.A. 86-403 made technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 92-260 made technical changes
by replacing "believes it necessary", "believes that such is necessary" and "believes it is necessary" with "believes such
to be necessary"; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6 amended Subsecs. (a) to (e), inclusive, to add authorized officials of the Board
of Parole, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 04-257 amended Subsecs. (a) to (e), inclusive, to delete references to an authorized
official of the Board of Parole, effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 05-108 amended Subsecs. (a) to (e), inclusive, to restore
references to an authorized official of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective June 7, 2005; P.A. 05-180 amended
Subsecs. (a) to (e), inclusive, to include a special policeman appointed under Sec. 29-18b within the purview of said
Subsecs. and made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality throughout; P.A. 08-150 amended Subsecs. (a)
to (e) to include Department of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed under Sec. 14-8 and certified pursuant to Sec. 7-294d
within purview of said Subsecs.
See Sec. 53a-23 re unjustified use of force to resist arrest.
A defendant is entitled to a theory of defense instruction as a matter of law when evidence under this section is before
jury. 178 C. 704. Cited. 204 C. 240. Cited. 209 C. 75.
Cited. 8 CA 667. Cited. 23 CA 615. Cited. 24 CA 195. Cited. 45 CA 390.
Cited. 43 CS 46.
Subsec. (f):
Does not require person making the arrest to have been present at the time the felony was committed for defense of
citizen's arrest to apply. 63 CA 228.
Defendant's firing of warning shot at fleeing assailants constituted use of deadly force proscribed by statute. To permit
persons to fire warning shots would frustrate purpose of statute to limit use of guns to emergency situations to protect
persons from death or great bodily harm. 35 CS 570. Cited. 39 CS 392.