Police Department

SPD Announces Updates to Use of Force Policy

Ofc. Teresa Fuller, 509.835.4568, tfuller@spokanepolice.org

Monday, January 18, 2016 at 5:14 p.m.

Following a recommendation from the DOJ to update its Use of Force (UOF) policy so that it is comprehensive and consistent with the departmental practices, the Spokane Police Department is excited to announce those updates have been completed. After reviewing the previous policy, SPD admin and academy staff determined it was necessary to make substantial changes, even above and beyond what DOJ recommended, in order to track uses of force in a comprehensive and transparent manner.

The Spokane Police Department is pleased to announce recommendation 6.5 from the DOJ has been completed. There several additions to the policy including more definitions for terms officers use when reporting UOF, additional circumstances where a UOF is reportable, and the recommendation that officers document any de-escalation techniques they attempted to utilize during a UOF encounter. All applications of Level 2 Lateral Neck Restraints, where an individual is rendered unconscious, will undergo a special review by the UOF Board. These are just a few examples of a very thorough update to the UOF policy.

Interaction with citizens is a primary function for the Officers of the Spokane Police Department. The Spokane Police Department is committed to honoring people’s rights and keeping the public’s trust in law enforcement through sound use of force decisions.

Related Documents

• Policy 300 - Use of Force (PDF 328 KB)
• Policy 302 - Use of Force and Deadly Force Administrative Review (PDF 125 KB)
• Policy 308 - Control Techniques and Devices (PDF 330 KB)

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