Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced on Tuesday changes to the Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) force reporting requirements that place a stronger emphasis on de-escalation.
The new policy expands the scope for force reporting requirements across the board, mandates more specificity and detail in MPD officers’ use of force reporting, and – for the first time in the department’s history – requires documentation of attempts to de-escalate in all police reports, whether or not the result was an authorized use of force.
“This change will instill a stronger emphasis on de-escalation and help effectively curb excessive use of force by ensuring our officers center de-escalation in any-and-all interactions between officers and the community,” Frey said in a statement.
“These comprehensive reporting requirements will help reinforce de-escalation as the first resort, increase accountability where de-escalation is an after-thought, and provide improved data to head off problematic interactions before they happen.”
“As the MPD continues to professionalize our service and make necessary reforms, these new changes in policy, strengthening de-escalation and Use Of Force reporting will play a key role in our efforts in building trust and legitimacy with all those we serve,” said Arradondo.
The new policy also elevates department standards for use of force documentation, reporting, and supervisor notification. For example, prior to the new policy, there were no reporting requirements for arm bars, wrist locks, drawing a firearm, or cuffing an individual.
Moving forward, officers will be required to provide an account of their strategies and attempts to de-escalate and written rationale with a description of the authorized force used, why the level of force was used, why the officer used that specific level of force, and what de-escalation strategies were attempted.
In addition, officers will now be required to document and report if medical aid was rendered, if the aid was rendered by the involved officers or EMS, and if there was a medical transport, by whom, and why.
Likewise, under the new policy, officers using authorized takedown techniques or deploying a chemical agent will be required to follow the same documentation and reporting requirements as well as notify a supervisor.
Officers will be given the policy during roll call and will begin training on these and other new requirements early this fall.
The officer must also determine if there was an injury as a result of a use of force tactic and detail whether medical aid was administered. In all cases of authorized force, whether low-level or higher, if there is an injury, alleged injury, or an aggravation to an existing injury, the reporting requirements are enhanced.
In all incidents where the force reporting requirement is met, officers must notify their supervisor and submit their report as soon as practical, and no later than the end of their shift.
Information provided by the City of Minneapolis
