Shaker Heights Officials Complete Initial Review Of Police Policy

Cleveland OH

30 October, 2020

5:24 PM

Description

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO — Months after Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss instructed the city's police department to review and revise specific practices, specifically those involving the use of force by officers, the first phase of the review process is complete. City and police officials announced the completion of the initial stage of work on Friday. Revised policies, including the city's response to threats policy, will be finalized by Nov. 30. Weiss called for the review following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis officers earlier this year. At the time, Weiss signed the Obama Foundation Pledge, which calls for police departments and cities across the country to review and reform use of force policies and to engaged community members to gain a diverse collection of opinions when forming police policy. Shaker Heights Police Chief Jeff DeMuth reviewed the first round of policy changes with city council members in a work session this week. At the meeting, DeMuth said that the department has remained in strict compliance and ahead of the curve with law enforcement gold standard accreditation standards and that this process represents another step in the department best serving the community. Included in outlined changes made in the Shaker Heights police department's use of force policy is prohibiting chokeholds by police officers except in "life-threatening situations when the use of deadly force would be considered reasonable." The new policy also addresses certain language in policies in the use of reasonable force when de-escalating situations and includes new sanctity of life language that will take effect once the new policies are instituted. In a news release issued Friday, Weiss said that he and the Shaker Heights City Council considers the review process "most critical in our ongoing efforts to align policies and practices with the goals and expectations of the police department which includes the fair and equal application of the law." The Mayor added: "I can say with confidence that the Shaker Heights police officers look forward to working in partnership with residents on this important work. They are committed to living up to the high standards they have for themselves and that the community has for them."