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    Use of Force and Control Tactics

    In response to Act 59 requirements, the Commission approved the Use of Force and Control Tactics courses to be combined as required training conducted by individual police departments. 

    Overview

    The current Use of Force and Control Tactics courses are now available and required for all municipal officers. The previous course and requirements will no longer be accepted. To fulfill the annual training requirements and maintain certification, all municipal officers shall:

    • Complete the current Use of Force Legal Standards Review
    • Actively participate in the Control Tactics Skills portion 

    Department instructors may add additional skills but must complete the minimum course requirements. 

    This presentation is one half of the requirements and is MANDATORY for all municipal officers in the Commonwealth of PA. A review of the legal and ethical issues surrounding use of force matters, it includes new and current case law as well as discussions regarding:

    • Critical decision making
    • Implicit bias
    • De-escalation

    At the end of this course, you will receive a certificate of completion. Submit a copy of the certificate to your Control Tactics instructor before completing the hands-on portion of the class.

    Access the Departmental Use of Force Legal Standards course on PAVTN.net. 

    Additional Materials

    MPOETC has made important enhancements to the Control Tactics Program beginning in 2026. Although some static requirements remain such as handcuffing techniques, the new program is focused on a specific theme developed from research of use of force incidents around the Commonwealth. These courses are designed to:

    • Improve officer safety
    • Ensure ethical and legally defensible use of force
    • Align training with contemporary best practices

    For 2026, the Control Tactics theme is “Surviving the Ground!” It is not our goal to turn all officers into mixed martial arts experts, but rather understand techniques needed to mitigate common threats when forced to the ground. This program was designed by a group of Subject Matter Experts for all skill and fitness levels.

    “Observing” the course does not count for participation, and officers who do not actively participate will not receive credit for completing the course. Officers must complete the Control Tactics Skills Checklist and the Use of Force course annually to get credit.

    The following documents will be used by departments to conduct their Use of Force and Control Tactics training:

    NOTE: These documents shall be maintained at the department level. Do not submit lesson plans, rosters or evaluation forms to MPOETC

    To receive credit for the hands-on portion of Control Tactics, instructors must be a MPOETC approved CT instructor and be either a currently certified municipal police officer or a currently certified academy Application of Force instructor. By Commission policy, no other individuals can certify municipal officers for annual CT training requirements.

    MPOETC has developed a comprehensive presentation, complete with instructor notes and videos, for each of the skills to be trained and evaluated. All officers can access the training materials securely on PAVTN.net.

    If you do not have a PAVTN account, please access the PAVTN registration page to create a no-cost account.

    The following documents pertain to instructor requirements for Control Tactics:

    Under 53 Pa C.S. 2167(d), MPOETC may only approve waivers for officers unable to complete training due to:

    • being injured while on duty
    • being deployed/activated for military service

    Officers who do not complete any mandatory in-service training for any other reason will be required to make up that training.