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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68275</law_id><section_number>19.2-83.3</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>9.1-102</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7.1">Law-Enforcement Officer Conduct During an Arrest or Detention</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Deadly force</span>&#x201D; means any force that is likely or intended to cause serious bodily injury or death.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Deadly weapon</span>&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">object</span>, other than a body part or stationary <span class="dictionary">object</span>, that in the manner of its actual, attempted, or threatened use is likely to cause serious bodily injury or death.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Excessive force</span>&#x201D; means any force that is objectively unreasonable given the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> at <span class="dictionary">issue</span>, whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others, and whether the suspect is actively resisting <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> or attempting to evade <span class="dictionary">arrest</span> by flight.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Kinetic impact munitions</span>&#x201D; includes impact rounds and baton rounds, such as rubber batons, bean bag rounds, foam baton rounds, and plastic, wax, wood, or rubber-coated projectiles.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Neck restraint</span>&#x201D; means the use of any body part or <span class="dictionary">object</span> to attempt to control or disable a person by applying pressure against the neck, including the trachea or carotid artery, with the purpose, <span class="dictionary">intent</span>, or effect of controlling or restricting the person&#x2019;s movement or restricting the person&#x2019;s blood flow or breathing, including chokeholds, carotid restraints, and lateral vascular <span class="dictionary">neck restraints</span>.</p></section></text><history>2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 25, 35, 37, 55.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
