Champaign Police Prepare Revisions to Use of Force Policy

The Champaign Police Department says it's revising its Use of Force policy, to clarify its guidelines on when to use deadly force.

The revised policy took effect last month, but ran into controversy in the wake of the Kiwane Carrington shooting. Critics said it appeared to allow officers to use deadly force on suspects who were escaping or resisting arrest --- even if there's no sign that they have harmed or are likely to harm other people.

Police Chief R-T Finney calls that a misinterpretation. He says new language in the policy will make it clear the department follows state statute, which says that escaping or resisting arrest, is not --- by itself --- grounds for an officer to use deadly force.

"We put the statute (language) into the policy", says Finney. "That didn't seem clear to a lot of people. So we're taking it and kind of rearranging it, and making sure that it reads very clear that what the restrictions of deadly force when the suspect is trying to resist or escape have to have certain criteria."

The policy's language on Tasers has been another point of controversy, since Champaign Police don't' use Tasers. Finney says the language is meant to provide guidance for times when they call in other police agencies that DO use Tasers.

"We will be putting the actual restrictions in the policy and spelling those restrictions out, with a statement indicating that the Champaign Police Department does not deploy Tasers, but make it very clear that when we call other agencies in, here are the restrictions and guidelines (under which) we would call someone else in."

Also under the proposed revisions, language that was taken out of the policy ... on when a police officer may display a firearm ... will be restored.

And there's language that directs the department to send the annual report on its use of force in the past year to the Champaign City Council and Human Relations Commission for review.

Finney says he expects to present the changes to the city manager and city attorney for review in the next few weeks.