Baltimore’s top cop announces new use-of-force policy

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison says his department has implemented a new use-of-force policy.

Harrison said Tuesday that reducing and resolving conflict is a main component of the policy, which went into effect Sunday.

The commissioner said the new policy focuses on 11 areas, including deescalation, use-of-force investigations, police batons, and emergency vehicle operation and pursuit.

A news release says the revised policies emphasize using force only when necessary, reasonable and proportional. Members of the public and officers had provided feedback on the policy revisions.

Police personnel completed several segments of electronic learning plus 16 hours of in-class, scenario-based training on topics such as deescalation techniques, critical thinking and decision-making, fair and impartial policing, and reporting and investigating use of force.