Police Use Of Force On Berkeley City Council Agenda

BERKELEY, CA — The Berkeley City Council at its meeting on Tuesday night will discuss a proposal to amend the Police Department's use of force policy.

The reform that Councilwoman Kate Harrison is proposing would expand the department's definition of use of force to include any confrontation in which physical force is used and require police to file a report in all such cases.

Currently, the Police Department is only required to file reports when an injury occurs, a weapon is used or a citizen files a complaint.

Harrison also proposes to categorize use of force reports according to their level of severity and mandate that all such reports be captured in a manner that allows for analysis.

In addition, Harrison wants to require the Police Department to prepare an annual analysis report about the use of force.

Harrison also wants City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley to report to the City Council by Dec. 12 on the progress that's been made in reforming the department's use of force policy.

The City Council's meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the council's chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Berkeley.

— Bay City News; Image by Charles Burress, Patch Archive

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