revelarts
12-03-2013, 02:28 PM
Critics say new Dallas policy will allow police to make up cover stories for officer-involved shootings
By Travis Gettys
The Dallas Police Department will require any officer who’s involved in a police shooting to wait 72 hours (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20131127-dallas-police-chief-david-brown-quietly-changes-shooting-investigations-policy.ece) before giving a statement about the shooting.
Chief David Brown quietly issued the policy change last month, several weeks after surveillance video was released that showed an officer shooting a mentally ill suspect for no apparent reason, contradicting another officer’s testimony that led to a felony charge against the victim.
“It is my belief that this decision will improve the investigation of our most critical incidents,” said Brown in an email statement.
Under the new policy, officers who fire their weapon or witness the gunfire may watch any available videos before giving their statements– and they must wait at least three full days to do that.
Previously, officers who witnessed a shooting would typically be required to speak with police investigator within hours of the incident and officers who fired their guns usually spoke right away, although they weren’t required to do so.
An attorney for the recent shooting victim said the waiting period will allow officers to make up excuses for their actions in unjustified shootings, but memory experts agree with the police chief.
Alexis Artwohl, a behavior consultant for law enforcement agencies around the county, said research shows that officers need rest before they can accurately recall traumatic events.
“They are not passive observers watching something from an easy chair,” Artwhol said. “They are at the scene where life-and-death decisions are being made, and they’re an integral part of it. So of course they are going to be impacted.”
....
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/03/critics-say-new-dallas-policy-will-allow-police-to-make-up-cover-stories-for-officer-involved-shootings/
By Travis Gettys
The Dallas Police Department will require any officer who’s involved in a police shooting to wait 72 hours (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20131127-dallas-police-chief-david-brown-quietly-changes-shooting-investigations-policy.ece) before giving a statement about the shooting.
Chief David Brown quietly issued the policy change last month, several weeks after surveillance video was released that showed an officer shooting a mentally ill suspect for no apparent reason, contradicting another officer’s testimony that led to a felony charge against the victim.
“It is my belief that this decision will improve the investigation of our most critical incidents,” said Brown in an email statement.
Under the new policy, officers who fire their weapon or witness the gunfire may watch any available videos before giving their statements– and they must wait at least three full days to do that.
Previously, officers who witnessed a shooting would typically be required to speak with police investigator within hours of the incident and officers who fired their guns usually spoke right away, although they weren’t required to do so.
An attorney for the recent shooting victim said the waiting period will allow officers to make up excuses for their actions in unjustified shootings, but memory experts agree with the police chief.
Alexis Artwohl, a behavior consultant for law enforcement agencies around the county, said research shows that officers need rest before they can accurately recall traumatic events.
“They are not passive observers watching something from an easy chair,” Artwhol said. “They are at the scene where life-and-death decisions are being made, and they’re an integral part of it. So of course they are going to be impacted.”
....
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/03/critics-say-new-dallas-policy-will-allow-police-to-make-up-cover-stories-for-officer-involved-shootings/