Newtown Police Department: Frequently Asked Questions on Police Policies & Procedures, Message from the Chief

Report by Paula Antolini, June 12, 2020, 2:46PM EDT

The Newtown Police Department just released the following information:

The Newtown Police Department in its continued commitment to greater transparency and accountability would like to answer frequently asked questions on Police Policies and Procedures, listed below are some of the subject areas that have frequently concerned our community.

Do the Policies of the Newtown Police Department ban chokeholds, Yes. The Newtown Police Department does not train in the use of chokeholds, they are expressly prohibited and considered a use of deadly physical force, and would only be utilized as a last resort in a situation where deadly physical force is warranted.

Do the Policies of the Newtown Police Department require de-escalation, Yes. Our policies and training emphasize de-escalation techniques, in addition our patrol officers are Crisis Intervention Trained.

Do the Policies of the Newtown Police Department require warnings be given before shooting, Yes. Our policies state that officers must give warnings where feasible before shooting. Additionally officers train to this standard.

Do the Policies require officers of the Newtown Police Department to exhaust all other means before resorting to the Use of Deadly Physical Force, Yes. Officers are trained to use a reasonable amount of force in all situations, they are trained in multiple levels of force including less-lethal options.

Do the Polices of the Newtown Police Department prohibit officers from shooting at motor vehicles, Yes. The Police Officer Standards and Training Council’s mandated policy on Police Pursuits adopted in November of 2019 restricts the instances in which an officer can pursue a vehicle, prohibiting shooting at motor vehicles unless an officer’s life or that of another are in imminent danger.

Do the Policies of the Newtown Police Department include a provision on a duty to intervene in instances where an officer may be using excessive force, Yes. The duty to intervene was previously stated in our code of ethics, but as a result of a revision to the Use of Force Policy it is emphatically stated in this section, mandating an officer to immediately intervene and report such conduct to a superior.

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Do the Polices of the Newtown Police Department mandate the use of body worn cameras, Yes. Each officer of the Newtown Police Department is required to utilize a body worn during interactions with the public, in addition our vehicles are also equipped with in car video cameras.

Do the Policies of the Newtown Police Department require mandated reporting each time an officer uses force, Yes. The department’s Use of Force Policy mandates that a report be completed on the use of force by any NPD officer, forwarding the same to superiors for a comprehensive review and approval. Additionally, a state mandate requires submission of a yearly Use of Force Utilization Report.

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Please refer to the Newtown Police Department Website for a listing of policies. 

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