PHOENIX — Phoenix police are preparing to train officers on a revised use-of-force policy that has been in the works for about a year.
Among the changes in the 9-page document include spelling out the duties of officers and the standards to which use of force by Phoenix police officers will be measured.
Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan told 12News in August that the use of force policy was due to be improved upon.
"We're getting to the point to develop training for that policy, and then train all of our members in that policy. I think that's something that's very, very important. Make sure that that officers know and understand the policies that we put out," Sullivan said.
Sullivan said at the time they had received more than 800 comments from the public on the policy.
The policy can be read here.
In addition, the Department of Justice provided input on the changes as well. For more than two years, the DOJ has had a pattern of practice investigation open into the Phoenix Police Department. The scope of that investigation includes looking into the department's use of force, among other areas.
"The biggest kind of prong test - three-prong test - on this is we're looking at three different things. It's going to be how reasonable the use of force is, proportional and necessary because we're looking at multiple aspects of this," Sgt. Phil Krynsky told 12News on the changes made to the policy Thursday. "But this also stems from court cases that kind of dictate what our use of force is."
Other changes include spelling out officers' duty to intervene and provide medical attention.
"Something that has been practiced, but nothing clearly defined in our policy," Krynsky said of those additions.
When it comes to critics of the updated policy, Krynsky said the community did have time to give their input.
"We did have an opportunity for the public - English and Spanish - to give that input," Krynsky said. "We received over 800 types of comments and so forth that were all looked at and some of them did become part of our policy."
Poder in Action is a social justice organization that wants to see funding reallocated from police to other resources like affordable housing and mental and substance abuse help. Shalae Flores, a spokesperson for Poder in Action, said the organization did help families affected by police use of force draft feedback on the policy.
"The rewriting of the policy is an attempt to reform," Flores said. "And like I had said, there is no amount of reform to build trust with the community. In fact, any kind of reform action only expands the size, scope and power of the police."
Sullivan is having all officers go through 20 hours of training before the policy officially takes effect. That's expected to start in early 2024.
"You're not going to change 20 years of learned behavior in 20 hours of training," David Chami, a Valley civil rights attorney, said.
Chami represented the family estate of Muhammad Muhaymin. Muhaymin died in Phoenix police custody in 2017.
A five-year court battle ended in a $5 million settlement from the City of Phoenix.
"I feel like this was more about appeasing those who would be looking at the written changes, as opposed to how are you actually going to implement and train and hire that will be done in a way that will actually make a difference in the way policing happens in Phoenix," Chami said.
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