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 Speaking to Reuters in a group interview, the heads of police of
Dallas, Chicago, Austin, Houston, Elk Grove, California, Boston, and
Toronto, Canada said that every police shooting since Ferguson has
been followed by protests.
They said they had agreed to quickly release details of such
shootings, including names of officers involved, in jurisdictions
where it is legal to do so.
The Chicago gathering was the first since Ferguson of the Police
Executive Research Forum, a policing issues think tank that brings
police chiefs together to discuss best practices.
"Information is moving so quickly that the void will be filled in
with rumor if you are not willing or able to put out as much fact as
you know about the incident," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown.
On Aug. 9, white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and
killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed African American. The
shooting led to a federal civil rights probe and shone an
international spotlight on race relations in America.
Protests over the Ferguson shooting were fed by anger that the
police withheld information about the officer involved and details
of the incident.
The chiefs said that they had to lead a cultural shift in policing -
emphasizing the importance of de-escalating potentially violent
situations - that is often resisted by the rank and file who fear
appearing soft on crime.
The forum that organized the Chicago meeting does not produce
binding policy, but police departments have adopted its
recommendations on the use of Tasers and body cameras.
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There are risks in giving out information quickly, the chiefs said,
such as tainting a grand jury, and police must be careful to note
they are offering preliminary findings that may change as new
details emerge.
The chiefs said that even though a police shooting might be ruled
justifiable under law, they had to hold officers to higher moral and
ethical standards to satisfy the community.
"All it takes is one that doesn't do the right thing, and we need to
step up and separate that officer from employment and pursue
criminal charges. We had a frank discussion about the leadership it
takes to do that," said Brown.
(Editing by Eric Walsh)
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