We are in a moment in history where we should take a good look at our police department’s procedures and policies and take action where needed.  I have a good relationship with the Police Chief and together we are committed to listening to the residents and organizations who are asking for meaningful change in our community. The mission of the Mesa Police Department is to partner with our community to prevent and reduce crime and to ensure justice by building trust, showing respect and preserving human rights.

The #8CantWait campaign is asking the right questions. I believe Mesa meets the criteria to have 7 of the 8 boxes checked. The requirement we do not meet is to warn before discharging a weapon. Mesa Police Department officers do make every attempt to utilize verbal commands prior to using force in an arrest. However, in certain circumstances, because of an imminent threat, verbal warnings may not precede the use of force.

Below are responses from the Mesa Police Department regarding each of the #8CantWait requirements. Thank you to all who have reached out via phone, e-mail and social media for being an active member of the Mesa community and striving to create positive change to ensure the safety of all residents.

Require De-escalation
Yes, The Mesa Police Department has been training its patrol officers in de-escalation techniques for many years. We have specifically provided de-escalation training in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Police recruits have received this training while in the police academy and it is provided to current patrol officers through our continuing officer education training programs. In 2018, we provided additional risk management training for our supervisors and contracted with a national company to provide de-escalation training to the entire department. The name of the training was ICAT, which stands for Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics. If you are interested, this weblink will provide you with additional information https://www.policeforum.org/icat-training-guide. De-escalation training is currently scheduled to be provided every two years in our training schedule.

Ban Chokeholds & Strangleholds
The use of the carotid control technique is in our Use of Force policy and only available in situations where deadly force is authorized. We do not train for or authorize the use of choke or strangleholds. Positional asphyxia is always a consideration when transporting combative prisoners. Our policy does not allow officers to transport subjects in a prone position. If additional restraints beyond handcuffs are used, two officers are required to transport allowing one officer to constantly monitor the restrained subject.

Duty to Intervene
This is specifically embedded in our Code of Conduct. Any police officer is required to report any member of the Department who engages in violations of any rule, regulation, or order. Police recruits are trained at the academy if they neglect to intervene and notify the department of any misconduct, they are subject to discipline. This is taught at the police academy through scenario-based training with clear expectations for our officers.

Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles
The Mesa Police Department prohibits shooting at/or from a moving vehicle. The only exceptions to this policy are: An apparent act of terrorism when the vehicle is used as a weapon of mass destruction or when someone inside the vehicle is using or threatening to use deadly physical force. We have a very robust Use of Force policy and training program with internal reviews of all use of force incidents.

Exhaust All Other Means Before Shooting
The policy of the MPD is to value and preserve human life in all situations. An officer’s responsibility for protecting life must include his or her own and those of his or her fellow officers and the general public. Our use of force policy provides specific guidelines for the appropriate and acceptable use of force, high degree of officer safety protocols, reporting guidelines for all uses of force, and for the treatment of any injury or complaint of injury arising from the use of force. Officers must consider the totality of circumstances in evaluating whether force is necessary and what level of force would be reasonable before using a particular force option.

Require Warning Before Shooting
Mesa Police Department officers make every attempt to utilize verbal commands prior to using force to effect an arrest. However, in certain circumstances because of an imminent threat to officers or the general public, verbal warnings may not precede the threat or use of force. The Mesa Police Department does not authorize members to use excessive force.

Require Comprehensive Reporting
The Mesa Police Department requires officers to report all reportable use of force applications which include any use of force outside of verbal commands and handcuffing. If a member threatens to use deadly force by pointing his firearm at a person, they are required to document this action in their written report. Every reportable use of force goes through a multi-layer internal review process to ensure the force used was within policy. If that force is determined to be outside of training protocols and our use of force policy, the disciplinary process is initiated.

Require Use of Force Continuum
The Mesa Police Department Use of Force Policy goes above and beyond a continuum. It gives clear direction about what type of force to use and when it is appropriate to use it. You can review our policy (Section DPM 2.1.5) at https://www.mesaaz.gov/home/showdocument?id=37276. Use of force policies are being evaluated and changed.

Recently, the Mesa Police Department invited a review of its use of force policies by a highly regarded national police standards organization, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). PERF recommended 66 best practices. Following that study, a committee with 12 community members and 12 members of the police department met every two weeks for nine months to review every PERF recommendation and the Department’s use of force policy.  As a result, the Department implemented PERF’s recommended 66 best practices with just a few modifications. Here are a few of the pertinent policy updates:

  • Implement concurrent investigations that ensure incidents involving force are promptly reviewed for legal, policy and training issues.
  • Create a Critical Incident Review Board with representation from the labor association, MPD Advanced Training unit, MPD legal advisor and two civilians.
  • Provide educational Critical Incident Community Briefings.
  • Prohibit shooting at or from a moving vehicle.
  • Prohibit strikes to the face, head, or neck other than when a suspect engages in active aggression.
  • Ensure officers have a duty to intervene when they observe unreasonable, unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.
  • Emphasize that the policy of the Mesa Police Department is to value and preserve human life in all situations.

For more info visit: https://www.mesaaz.gov/residents/police/divisions/policy.

Finally, I must thank our officers who work hard every day to ensure our residents are safe at home, work or school. Their efforts have led to historically low crime rates in our city.