Spokane Police Department Use of Force Presentation
Since the Use of Force Commission issued its final report in February of 2013, the City of Spokane and the Spokane Police Department have: • Accepted all 26 of the Commission’s recommendations • Worked to initiate and implement these recommendations
The following presentation is an update to the Commission on the Spokane Police Department’s progress.
CULTURE 1. Conduct a Culture Audit of the Spokane Police Department Published Spokane Police Strategic Plan Administered Community Policing Survey - Internally and Externally
CULTURE Initiated department-wide re-engineering process – Promote internal candidates to executive positions – Recruit and hire civilians to enhance organizational diversity
CULTURE • Provide Senior Management Training Opportunities - Senior Management Institute for Police (Police Executive Research Forum) - Women’s Leadership Institute (International Association of Chiefs of Police) - University of Seattle/Criminal Justice Training Commission Leadership Program
CULTURE Provide Senior Management Training Opportunities (Cont.) - Leadership in Police Organizations (International Association of Chiefs of Police) 3-week program; 35 members of SPD will attend initial session - SPD training cadre will be identified - All department members will be trained in LPO principles
CULTURE • Exchange best practices with other law enforcement agencies through site visits - SPD team visited New Haven, CT Police Department - SPD team to visit LA Police Department - Exchange program with other mid-size city police departments established - Members of SPD will attend national law enforcement conferences and seminars
CULTURE • Develop Cultural Awareness Training – ongoing - Spokane's new immigrant community (World Relief Spokane, Spring 2013) - LGBTQ Issues and Challenges (In-service, Fall 2013)
CULTURE 2. Bring greater transparency to the City’s negotiations with the Spokane Police Guild and the Spokane Police Lieutenants and Captains Association
CULTURE 3. Rewrite the SPD Mission Statement The mission of the Spokane Police Department is to demonstrate excellence in policing by working in partnership with the community we serve to: - Prevent and reduce crime, the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors - Enforce laws while safeguarding the constitutional rights of all people - Provide high-quality police services to all of our residents and visitors through integrity, compassion, and a commitment to innovation - Create a work environment in which we recruit, train, and develop an exceptional team of employees
CULTURE 4. Complete the WASPC Accreditation Process - Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) (Complete 1st Quarter 2014)
CULTURE 5. Ensure Corporate Ownership of the SPD Policy Manual Eliminated Lexipol title from the SPD Policy Manual Posted SPD Policy Manual to SpokanePolice.org – Embed ethical canons in SPD business practices, training, performance appraisals and discipline
CULTURE 6. Explicitly Link SPD Canons and Ethical Standards to Hiring Decisions and All Force Management Actions - Incorporated integrity and psychological screening tool in Civil Service recruiting and hiring testing process - Incorporate ethics and integrity training in all in-service and promotional training
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 7. The Chief Of Police and the Command Staff Should Actively Engage the Community in an Ongoing Dialogue About the Department Created the Spokane Police Youth Athletic League (SPYAL) Summer Basketball Outreach Program in partnership with the faith-based community – Attend monthly NAACP meetings – Develop and implement procedures to capture racial data during police-citizen contacts consistent with RCW 43.101.400
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 7. The Chief Of Police and the Command Staff Should Actively Engage the Community in an Ongoing Dialogue About the Department (Cont.) – Chief, Executive Staff and Senior SPD Leadership actively engaged in community outreach activities and events – Staff SPD recruiting and informational booths at significant Spokane- area events
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 8. Ensure Complete Understanding of the Governing Legal Standards for the Use of Force Incorporated Use of Force Commission recommendations into in-service training – Receive direction and guidance from COPS Technical Assistance Project – Update Use of Force training annually – Create a new defensive tactics manual consistent with the Use of Force recommendations, current case law and best practices of policing
9. Update and Maintain Certifications of the Department’s Defensive Tactics Instructors Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) certify all SPD defensive tactics instructors WSCJTC certify two (2) master defensive tactics instructors
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 10.Review Current Officer Staffing Levels and Practices to Ensure Sufficient Patrol Officers are Available to Maintain Public Safety – Place police resources in neighborhood-based precincts • Downtown Facility – Increase officer staffing to 300 (proposed in 2014 budget)
SPD’s Downtown Facility : Opened June 2013
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 11. Improve Training Plans and Practices Purchased Virtra System – decision-making simulator for de-escalation and deployment alternatives training – Require annual re-certification for verbal de-escalation training, use of batons, pepper spray and Taser (El Electronic Con ontrol ol Devises) – Recruit new Field Training Officers (FTOs). All will attend WSCJTC mandated training as well as SPD specific training regarding integrity and ethics issues – Establish Professional Standards Division by integrating Training and Internal Affairs Units under a single command
POLICIES & PROCEDURES Virtra System: decision-making simulator for de-escalation and deployment alternatives training
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 12.Establish a Continuing Crisis Intervention Training Program and Adopt Protocols for the Deployment of CIT Officers – In-Service training specifically focused on excited delirium (Fall 2012) – Approximately 1/3 of all patrol staff currently CIT trained; All commissioned members of the department will be CIT trained (2nd Quarter 2014) – In-Service training specifically focused on excited delirium (Fall 2012) – All members of the department will be CIT trained (2n 2nd Quarter 201 2014) 4)
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 12.Establish a Continuing Crisis Intervention Training Program and Adopt Protocols for the Deployment of CIT Officers (Cont.) – Develop a Police Training Model of CIT techniques • WSU-SPD partnership to develop simulation-based training models
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 13.Affirm the De-escalation of Potentially Violent Encounters as a Primary Goal of the Department SPD Academy Director, Lead Defensive Tactics Instructor and Lead Firearms Instructor attended de-escalation training – All commissioned members of department will complete de-escalation training (2014)
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 14.Improve Use of Force Reporting System Internal Affairs (IA) software purchased and implemented to document all Use of Force incidents and IA investigations Posted results of completed Use of Force and IA investigations online at SpokanePolice.org Revised investigative techniques used during all IA investigations
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 14.Improve Use of Force Reporting System (Cont.) Expanded reporting of Use of Force incidents to include those in which police officer points his/her weapon at someone – Implement COPS Technical Assistance Project recommendations
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 15.Improve Investigative Practices in Use of Force Incidents Accomplished Use of Force Investigative Training • Responding to Officer Involved Shootings • Internal Affairs Investigations • Managing Use of Force Incidents
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 16.Improve the Administrative Review of the Use of Deadly Force by Officers – Implement COPS Technical Assistance Project recommendations – Continued review of Spokane Incident Regional Response (SIRR) Team investigations and Deadly Force Review Board (DFRB) practices and findings – Include Ombudsman in all future DFRB reviews
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 17.Create and Deploy a Fully Developed Early Intervention System • Purchased early intervention software • Develop policies and procedures for use of Early Intervention System • Research use of progressive disciplinary process
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 18.Equip Officers with Body Cameras Vendor Selected (Contract to be Awarded Fall 2013) – Develop policies and procedures in conjunction with City Legal, Guild, ACLU, Center for Justice, and other interest groups
POLICIES & PROCEDURES 18.Equip Officers with Body Cameras (Cont.) – Participate in National Best Practices conference regarding police use of body cameras – Host public forums to ensure the community fully understands the equipment, its use and record retention policies and procedures
Recommend
More recommend
