Chattanooga’s police chief has updated the department’s policy, which now requires officers to intervene when a fellow officer breaks the law or commits an improper act.
The following is the new policy implemented by CPD Chief David Roddy:
Duty to Intervene is now included in CPD policy ADM-16 Code of Conduct, which states:
Each department member has the individual responsibility to intervene and stop any other member from committing an unlawful or improper act, including but not limited to, acts of brutality, abuses of process, abuses of authority, and any other criminal acts or major violations of department rules and procedures. Successful intervention does not negate a duty to report.
The department is also highlighting an existing policy regarding the use of force.
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Warning before Shooting is part of CPD policy ADM-05 Use of Force. This section of policy has been included in the CPD Use of Force Policy for more than 20 years. It states:
An officer, after giving verbal notice to the suspect of his or her identity as a police officer, may use or threaten to use force that is reasonably necessary to accomplish the arrest of an individual suspected of a criminal act who resists or flees from the arrest; an officer may use deadly force to effect an arrest only if all other reasonable means of apprehension have been exhausted or are unavailable, and where feasible, the officer has given notice of such officer's identity as such and given a warning that deadly force may be used unless resistance or flight ceases.
“I have updated and highlighted existing policy to reflect not only the current expectations of our police department, but what I also know is in the hearts and character of your officers,” said Chief David Roddy. “I look forward to the coming conversations and encourage the inclusion of many representatives to include community leaders, law enforcement, and some of those who’ve expressed their concerns in recent days."