WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) - A major northeast Iowa law enforcement agency issued a revised set of guidelines for when and how officers should use force, only 10 days after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that sparked national outrage.
The Waterloo Police Department issued the revised operational guidelines on Thursday, June 4. The original set of rules was issued on January 1, 2018, and was most recently revised on April 6, 2020. It outlines the policies and procedures for the department’s officers on the use of force during the course of their jobs.
Some of the guidelines appear to have been directly influenced by the death of Floyd and how officers were seen handling him on video that showed his death. In the video, Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin is seen pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck, ignoring Floyd’s pleas until he eventually stopped moving. Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, and three other officers who were there have been charged as an accessory to the crime.
The new guidelines put a higher emphasis on “reverence and respect” for all persons, noting that officers “work as guardians and servants of the public, regardless of race, economic, or social status.” The rules also specifically add a section that states officers have a duty, regardless of the chain of command, to immediately intervene when another officer is using unreasonable or disproportionate force. Misconduct by other officers must also be reported.
Positional asphyxia, where an officer places their knees on the neck or back of a suspect, should be actively avoided by Waterloo officers, according to the document. Suspects are to be moved from a face-down position once controlled or in handcuffs. Officers should also ask about drug use and cardiac or respiratory conditions to determine the need for medical assistance.
The document also outlines, specifically, types of force that are not permitted for a Waterloo Police officer. Choke holds or any technique or contact that applies pressure to the neck which restricts blood flow are not allowed.
A crowd-control technique called “kettling," where officers surround protesters forcing them to exit in one direction or to begin mass arrests, is not to be used when a crowd is peaceful or passively resisting arrest. It is also prohibited if bystanders would get caught into the crowd without being identified separately.
Officers are directed by the guidelines to employ as many de-escalation techniques as possible before moving on to force. They are also directed to consider whether someone resisting is doing so deliberately, or if they are unable to follow the officer’s directions due to mental impairment, physical limitations, language barriers, fear or anxiety, or drug usage, among other factors.
The document adds a line to say that officers cannot use their batons to strike a person’s head. It does now allow for the use of pepper spray when attempting to arrest members of an actively violent or destructive crowd upon authorization from watch command.
Officers are told to consider their surroundings and the physical nature of the suspect when using Tasers or other non-firearm weapons, specifically prohibiting tasing of a person who is infirmed, elderly, has a low body mass index, pregnant, a small child, or a person in the water. An exception to that rule would be if there are circumstances where the officer would need to use such a device to prevent serious bodily injury or death. Passive resistance to an officer is not a valid reason to employ a Taser, according to the guidelines.
Canine units are not supposed to be used for displays of force, kittling, or other crowd control activities, according to the new guidelines.
Rules for the use of firearms were essentially unchanged.
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Waterloo Police revise use-of-force guidelines - KCRG
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