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Minneapolis police make changes aimed at defusing conflicts

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minneapolis Police Department has announced four policy changes aimed at defusing conflicts between officers and the public that can turn deadly.

Chief Janee Harteau (jah-NAY’ HAR’-toh) said Monday that the “sanctity of life” is the cornerstone of her department’s use-of-force policy. She says officers should use de-escalation tactics whenever reasonably possible, while slowing down situations to reduce the risk of injury to officers and the public.

The changes also give officers a duty to intervene to prevent others from using force improperly and a duty to report misconduct.

Harteau says the changes were in development before Jamar Clark was fatally shot in a confrontation with officers last fall. She declined to speculate on how that shooting might have developed differently if the new policies had been in place then.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that the announcement was made Monday, instead of Wednesday.

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