ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect

Chief Todd Axtell

ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect

June 23, 2016

ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect

Frank Baker

Date of Incident: June 24, 2016

• Anonymous report of a man with a gun

• Unarmed person, not the suspect

• K9 apprehension and bite

• Officer kicked Baker repeatedly in ribs while in the canine’s grips; hospitalized two weeks, seven fractured ribs, both lungs collapsed

• Federal lawsuit settlement ($2 million)

ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect •

Over two years, a new Use of Force policy was developed.• 3 public forums

• Over 12 community meetings

• 100 recommendations

• 30 recommendations included

Goal of new policy: Reduce unnecessary use of force, injuries to

officers and arrestees, civil liabilities and improve community trust

ST. PAUL POLICE

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Use of Force Policy “Response to Resistance and Aggression”

Community recommendations included in new policy:

• De-escalation: “ Officers are directed to de-escalate when they can, intervene when they should and serve all individuals with respect”

• Medical Services: Requires officers to request medical assistance any time ECD is used

• Training: Clarifies that officers may only use techniques and tools that are currently trained or authorized by the department Training Unit

• Duty to Intervene: Supervisors are required to respond and document incidents where officers have exercised use of force

ST. PAUL POLICE

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Creation of 21st Century Website

• Based on the “President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.”

• Compares the St. Paul Police Department to the recommendations and action items developed around the six pillars

• Our report card to the public

• Updated as we progress towards our goals

• Pull back the curtains on how we operate.

https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/police/21st-century-policing-report

ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect Enhanced Annual Training

• Tactical De-Escalation and Disengagement

• Time and distance

• Multiple officer techniques

• Quarterly Use of Force training

• Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for ALL personnel

• Scenario based training with more successes for officers

• Less lethal

ST. PAUL POLICE

Trusted service with respect Ethical Policing is Courageous (EPIC)

Training Coming in 2020

• Peer intervention techniques designed to protect officers and civilians

• Preventing mistakes and misconduct and promoting officer wellness

• Empowers all officers to intervene, regardless of rank

• Establishes protections for officers who intervene

ST. PAUL POLICE

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Mental Health Unit

Community Outreach and Stabilization “C.O.A.S.T”• Co-Responder Model of Case Management with officers and social workers partnering to

reduce habitual police encounters with people in crisis

(1) Sergeant

(7) Officers

(4) Social Workers

(1) Research Analyst

ST. PAUL POLICE

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Less Lethal

Pepperball Deployment

Initiated Pilot 2019

2019-Current: (75) Deployments

40 mm Launchers: (24 currently in use)

2017: (3) Deployments

2018: (2) Deployments

2019- Current: (5) Deployments

Taser

2017: (51) Deployments

2018: (38) Deployments

2019-Current: (23) Deployments

Results of Changes• Initially officers reluctant to change, but change has been embraced.

• Officers and citizen injuries have decreased.

• Less than 2/10th of 1% of all our total calls for service result in use of force.

• 2016 vs 2018 shows a 11.4% increase in calls for service.

• 2016 vs 2018 shows a 15.9% decrease in use of force incidents.

2016 2017 2018

Calls for Service 211,032 238,347 238,064

Physical Use of Force 454 423 382

Suspects Injured 120 118 56

Officers Injured 48 51 50