Chicago police unveil stricter draft
policy for use of force
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[October 08, 2016]
By Timothy Mclaughlin
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Police
Department introduced on Friday a stricter draft policy for the use of
force that provides guidelines for officers involved in confrontations
with suspects and members of the public, the city's police chief said.
The policy comes as Mayor Rahm Emanuel attempts to drastically reform
the police department, which has been roiled by numerous incidents of
misconduct, prompting an investigation by the U.S. Department of
Justice.
The draft "Use of Force Guidelines," were unveiled just days after the
Chicago City Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of adopting a new
police oversight agency.
"The goal is to make everyone accountable in the police department, from
me on down to the last probationary police officer. That's the goal,"
police superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters at a news conference
on Friday.
Emanuel, who is in his second term as mayor, has rolled out a plan to
hire nearly 1,000 new police officers over the next two years and
increase the use of body cameras. He also introduced de-escalation
training for officers in the wake of the federal investigation.
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The investigation was prompted in part by the shooting death in 2014 of
Laquan McDonald, a black teenager, by a white officer.
The 41-page policy covers topics ranging from the proper use of Tasers
to regulations on discharging firearms, and is "significantly stricter"
than what is required under U.S. regulations, the department said.
"In all aspects of their conduct, Department members will act with the
foremost regard for the preservation of human life and the safety of all
persons involved," the draft, posted online Friday, said.
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![](../images/100816pics/news_b1.jpg)
A Chicago police officer attends a news conference announcing the
department's plan to hire nearly 1,000 new police officers in
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S., September 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young
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The policy, an update to current guidelines on the use of force that
have been in effect since 2002, will undergo a 45- day public
comment period, during which members of the police department as
well as civilians have an opportunity to express any concerns.
On Nov. 21, the police department will begin reviewing these
comments, with the aim of having the policy finalized by the end of
this year.
However, the policy will not be fully enforced until all officers
are trained in it, which Johnson said would likely happen around
early spring of next year.
Anne Kirkpatrick, chief of organizational development at the Chicago
police, said the draft was written after looking at the practices of
other U.S. police departments of similar sizes, including Los
Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Seattle.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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