We urge the Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) to make the following changes to its Use of Force Policy, in the best interests of Santa Barbara community members and SBPD officers:

• Require de-escalation (OTF p2, 2.2.1 AI; P30 #2/4, 17; CZ #1; CDOJ p151; DIM)
• Define a standard of appropriate UoF (eg matrix/continuum) (OTF 2.2; P30 #2/3; CZ #2; DIM p3 “appropriate”; BDOJ p98)
• Prohibit officers from shooting at people in moving vehicles unless the person poses a deadly threat by means other than the vehicle (P30 #8; CZ #5; CDOJ p151; DIM p2;)
• Require officers to exhaust all other reasonable alternatives before resorting to using deadly force (CZ #6)
• Require officers to intervene to stop another officer from using excessive force (P30 #6; CZ #7)
• Require comprehensive reporting that includes both uses of force and threats of force (OTF 2.2.4/5 AI; P30 #10/11; CZ #8; CDOJ p152; DIM p6)
• The sanctity of human life should be at the heart of everything an agency does (P30 #1, CZ)
• Respect the sanctity of life by promptly rendering first aid (P30 #7, CDOJ p152)
• Prohibit use of deadly force against individuals who pose a danger only to themselves or property (P30 #9, DIM p5)
• Prohibit the use of retaliatory force, force used as punishment, force used in response to protected First Amendment activities (e.g., filming), force used in response to speech only rather than in response to an immediate threat, etc (OTF 2.7 REC, 2.7.1 AI; CDOJ p151; DIM p6)
• Use the minimum amount of force necessary (CZ continuum pyramid; P30 p93; DIM p4)
• Align definition of “deadly force” with nation’s best practices.
• Must specify that the unreasonable use of force will subject officers to discipline, possible criminal prosecution, and/or civil liability. (DIM p5/DoJ)
• Periodic training on UoFP (ICP p4)
• Policy should be reviewed annually (ICP p2)

OTF = Obama Policing Task Force Report https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/TaskForce_FinalReport.pdf

P30 = PERF 30 http://www.policeforum.org/assets/30%20guiding%20principles.pdf

CZ = Campaign Zero UoFP http://useofforceproject.org/

CDOJ = DoJ Investigation of the Chicago PD https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/925846/download

DIM = Denver Independent Monitor UoFP review https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3416056/Letter-to-Chief-White.pdf

BDOJ = DoJ Investigation of Baltimore Police Dept https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/883366/download

ICP = IACP Consensus Policy http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/documents/pdfs/National_Consensus_Policy_On_Use_Of_Force.pdf