Police use-of-force has decreased

by Millar Hill

Local police are reporting a drop in use-of-force cases compared to previous years.

According to Sgt. Matt D’Asti, public relations officer for the Windsor Police Service, the use-of-force incidents were down from 198 in 2012 to 192 in 2013.  Those reported numbers reflect all calls that police attend.

“These numbers are being attributed to the training that our patrol front-line officers are receiving,” said D’Asti. “We go through extensive training in dealing with various situations and scenarios relating to what officers can expect.”

D’Asti said in all reported calls, only 0.2 per cent have required police force.

There is a use-of-force plan for officers to follow certain guidelines for such scenarios to determine whether an officer is to use force or not. If an officer is in a scenario where the suspect has a weapon or if the officer and victim’s lives may be threatened, force is required for the safety of the officer and victim.

“Our officers rely on their training. Police work is difficult work, we do the training so when an officer is in a situation or under stress they revert to their training and act accordingly,” said D’Asti.

Officers go through extensive training to dictate when it is acceptable or not to use force, so use-of-force depends on which training the officer has received. However, officers encounter situations when they’re given a split second to act. According to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, every chief of police must ensure officers do not use force on another individual unless the officer has successfully completed a training course on the use-of-force. Training focuses on matters such as: legal requirements, exercise of judgment, safety and theories relating to the use of force.

Downtown Windsor is known for increased police appearance on the weekends while young adults are out at the bars.

Alexandria Atherton, 23, a bartender at Villains Beastro located in downtown Windsor, said she hasn’t heard many stories about use-of-force by police.

“I know their presence is a lot more known in the summertime. I think it has to do with the lack of weather and decrease of people going downtown,” said Atherton.

Not only police officers, but also security guards and private investigators are required to file a use-of-force report, according to the Community Safety and Correctional Services.