CHICAGO – Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Eddie Johnson today announced the Department has begun training on the new use of force policies as part of continued reform efforts. The new set of use of force policies, released in May following extensive public feedback, emphasizes sanctity of life, de-escalation and accountability.

"The Chicago Police Department is on the road to earning the trust of every community in Chicago, and training in the revised use of force policy is an important milestone on that road," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "The new policy, created with unprecedented community input, represents a critical component of a comprehensive public safety strategy including more manpower, tools, technologies and training to strengthen safety in every Chicago community."

A rigorous training schedule has been implemented to ensure every officer is properly trained and has the technical background necessary when the new policy goes into effect in the Fall. Beginning today and continuing through summer, every sworn CPD member will participate in an in-person, four-hour training session. Starting in 2018, officers will take an additional eight-hour, scenario-based training course that will give officer hands-on practice with the new policy in real-world situations.

"As we launch the training on our new use of force policy, we are fundamentally changing the way we carry out policing in Chicago," said Superintendent Johnson. "This policy, which came together from input by police officers, community residents, and law enforcement experts, will give our officers the tools necessary to de-escalate situations when they arise and provide clearer guidance when the use of force is necessary.  I am excited that CPD officers will be able to keep themselves and our city safe following a policy that was created for Chicagoans, by Chicagoans."

To meet the demands of the accelerated training schedule, 30 addition trainers were selected from applicants within the Bureau of Patrol, including police officers, sergeants and lieutenants. In preparation for this effort, the 30 new instructors received extensive training in adult learning techniques and the new use of force training. Training will begin with leadership to ensure training is implemented with appropriate supervision. All members below the rank of captain will be take place in the three areas: Area North trainings will be located at Wright College, Area Central at Headquarters and Area South at Kennedy King College.  

This is the latest effort by the Police Department to revamp training and provide police officers with best practices and new perspectives to support officers in the difficult situations they may face. Yesterday, the city announced efforts to develop a new, state-of-the-art Public Safety Training Academy in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood as part of the city’s continued efforts to provide the best tools, technology and training for first responders. The Department also announced a new cultural awareness training at DuSable Museum of African American History last week, reinforcing the City's commitment to continue to take steps to rebuild trust between residents and officers.

As part of the Department’s commitment to building public trust and transparency, the new set of use of force policies are based on feedback from two public comment periods, numerous community meetings and officer and supervisor focus groups. These were the first revisions to the Department’s use of force policy since 2002 and is accompanied by a series of sub policies covering: Force Options, Taser Use, OC Spray and Chemical Agent Use, and Canine Use.

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