New use of force policy creates controversy among Phoenix officers

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Police Department’s new use of force policy is creating potentially dangerous confusion among the officers who have to follow it, according to union leadership.

“There’s very concerning things within this policy,” Darrell Kriplean, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday, the day the new policy went into effect.

The confusion could cause officers to hesitate in a life-or-death situation, putting police and the public at a greater risk, Kriplean said.

“God forbid an officer gets hurt because they are slow to react to a threat because they’re not 100% sure, or they’re concerned about having to report pointing their gun at someone who deserves to have a gun pointed at them,” he said.

New terminology in use of force policy criticized

Kriplean said the addition of the word “proportional” to the existing standards of “reasonable and necessary” for when force is authorized is particularly problematic.

“Now they’ve added proportional, which in my opinion is subjective. It depends on who’s reading it,” he said.

Kriplean, whose union represents Phoenix officers and some sergeants, is not alone in his view. Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association (PPSLA) members are also concerned about the policy’s terminology, according to the findings of a recent survey obtained by ABC15.

In fact, an overwhelming 96.6% of respondents agreed that terms such as “officer-created jeopardy,” “de-escalation” and “proportionality” are subjective and could “be used to discipline officers depending on political pressures.”

Furthermore, when asked if they were “adequately prepared to understand and implement the new policy,” more than 80% of respondents disagreed. In addition, a similar percentage said they believed it “will make policing more dangerous due to officers hesitating on using appropriate force when necessary.”

The survey also solicited comments about the use of force policy, many of which expressed concern about the terminology.

Here’s one example: “No one knows how those all-encompassing words like ‘proportional’ will be applied when it comes to something that looks ugly but is completely righteous.”

City councilman defends use of force policy

Despite the departmental concerns, Phoenix City Councilman Kevin Robinson, a former assistant police chief, believes the new policy will improve community safety.

“I thought it was more vague before than what it is now, and this is just a lot more precision to when officers can use force, what’s appropriate, when you should try to de-escalate the situation,” Robinson told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Wednesday.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Heidi Hommel contributed to this report.

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