New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
NBPD policies available for public review and input.
The Commission on Police Use of Force Policies has set aside August 26 between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to receive public input for recommendations to the NBPD use of force policies.
Members of the Commission have been meeting weekly all summer, said Public Safety Committee Chairman and Councillor Brian K. Gomes. It has focused on its mandate to review three existing policies at the NBPD that embody “use of force.”
Gomes encourages members of the public to review the policies and login to its public Zoom meeting for their voices to be heard. “This is a listening session for members of the Commission as we are eager to hear what the public perspective is of these policies.”
Review the policies below:
Use of Deadly Force
Use of Less-Lethal Force
General Order
Following is the information for connecting to the meeting.
Meeting ID: 929 5403 3788
Passcode: 872199
Dial-in: (646) 558-8656
Mayor Jon Mitchell created the commission in June as a part of his commitment to The Mayor’s Pledge aimed at addressing use of force policies in police departments across the country. The Obama Foundation’s Mayor’s Pledge calls on mayors across the United States to commit to the following four actions:
1. REVIEW your use of force policies.
2. ENGAGE your communities by including a diverse range of input, experiences, and stories in your review.
3. REPORT the findings of your review to your community and seek feedback.
4. REFORM your communities police use of force policies.
The Commission now meets weekly on Wednesdays and is made up of a broad spectrum of community leaders and subject matter experts.
If you have any questions, have difficulty accessing the policies in the links above or want to submit your recommendations, please email: NBPDInfoHub@newbedfordpd.com.
