The Cleveland Police Department agreed Tuesday to adhere to new regulations on how and when officers can use force as well as strict oversight by police supervisors, the New York Times reported. The deal is part of the Ohio city’s settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over what federal officials deemed a “pattern or practice” of unnecessary force and unconstitutional tactics.
The new rules as outlined in the agreement prohibit pistol whipping, firing warning shots and using force as punishment for talking back or running away. The settlement also requires the police department to document every incident where an officer so much as unholsters a gun. An independent monitor will also track the department’s progress, the Times reported.
“A fundamental goal of the revised use of force policy will be to account for, review, and investigate every reportable use of force,” the agreement said.
The settlement was announced three days after a judge acquitted Cleveland Police Officer Michael Brelo of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of two unarmed people in a car in 2012. The Justice Department, led by then-Attorney General Eric Holder, launched an investigation into the Cleveland force months after the shooting and issued its report in December.
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