Revised Use Of Force Policy Unveiled By Camden County PD

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — With the use of force by police officers once again making headlines, a police department in South Jersey announced it is taking further steps to preserve human life and protect everyone involved in the course of their duties.

The Camden County Police Department has revised its use of force policy, and it goes beyond the U.S. Supreme Court’s minimal constitutional principles regarding use of force, county officials announced on Wednesday.

The minimal principle set forth by the Supreme Court states that an officer may only use force that a reasonable officer would when facing similar circumstances.

Camden County's revised policy clearly states that officers must do everything possible to respect and preserve the sanctity of all human life, avoid unnecessary uses of force, and minimize the force that is used, while still protecting themselves and the public.

It was crafted and adopted by the Camden County Police Department, with the help of the Policing Project at New York University School of Law.

“We have long trained our officers in de-escalation and force minimization, but we wanted a policy that reflected that training,” Camden County Police Chief J. Scott Thomson said. “I want to commend the Policing Project for its fine work here in assisting our department with shaping a progressive policy that enhances both public and officer safety.”

The announcement comes days after the NYPD officer who put Eric Garner in a fatal chokehold more than five years ago, was fired from the police force. That decision was met with backlash from New York’s largest police union, the Police Benevolent Association, which has vigorously defended Pantaleo over the last five years. Read more here: Daniel Pantaleo Fired From NYPD For Eric Garner Death

Camden County officials said their revised policy is consistent with national best practices on use of force, including de-escalation and force mitigation training that its officers currently receive, and the “PERF 30” principles developed by the Police Executive Research Forum. The policy was also vetted and revised with the ACLU of New Jersey.

The Camden County Police Department’s collective bargaining unit, representing rank and file officers and commanders, was also given the opportunity to review the policy.

“FOP Lodge 218 was provided the opportunity to review the model use of force policy,” FOP 218 President Rick Kunkel said. “Both vice presidents and I feel that it is in line with the training provided to our officers and the Attorney General guidelines. The policy takes a commonsense approach to situations providing guidance for officers, while still leaving options open when the situation dictates appropriate use of force. Our agency has adopted a principle engrained in the preservation of life for both the officer and the offender and this policy matches that ethos.”

• Officers may use force only to accomplish specific law enforcement objectives;
• Whenever feasible, officers should attempt to de-escalate confrontations with the goal of resolving encounters without force. Officers may only use force that is objectively reasonable, necessary, and as a last resort;
• Officers must use only the amount of force that is proportionate to the circumstances;
• Deadly force is only authorized as a last resort and only in strict accordance with this directive;
• Officers must promptly provide or request medical aid; and
• Employees have a duty to stop and report uses of force that violate any applicable law and/or this directive.

Camden County police officers are already trained in de-escalation and force mitigation techniques, including exercising restraint, using verbal communication, and relying on positioning, distance, and cover to minimize uses of force.

The revised policy now allows the department to hold officers accountable if their actions do not meet Camden County Police Department standards, officials said.

“A robust use of force policy must do more than explain when and how much force officers can use: it must make clear that officers are accountable to ensure their fellow officers are following the rules,” Policing Project Executive Director Farhang Heydari said. “This policy takes a very strong stance on officers’ obligation to intervene in, and report, unlawful uses of force by any other officers, and to provide prompt medical attention whenever necessary or requested.”

Thomson serves as co-chair of the Policing Project Advisory Board, along with Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President & CEO Vanita Gupta. The Policing Project has previously partnered with the Camden County Police Department to conduct community engagement around the department’s body-worn camera policy and to run a youth-officer engagement program at local schools in Camden.

In 2015, the police department entered into a mentoring program that emphasizes using the minimal amount of force needed to deal with a threat or conduct an arrest.

Read more here: Camden County Police Chief Helps Craft New National Policy On Police Use Of Force

Last year, NJ Advance Media released a detailed account of police use-of-force in New Jersey that lead state officials to examine how law enforcement leaders are designing a new system to obtain police use-of-force data and ensure meaningful monitoring and transparency of such data.

The Policing Project at New York University School of Law is a non-profit organization that partners with communities and police to promote public safety through transparency, equity and democratic engagement.

More information on the Policing Project is available at www.policingproject.org. The full Use of Force policy can be viewed at http://policingproject.org/camden.

See related: Independent Prosecutor Directive Under Fire At South Jersey Forum