THE PERF 30 AND POLICE USE OF FORCE, Part I

In a recent blog entry I spoke of PERF, the Police Executive Research Forum, and its 30-point recommendation for what some have called “police reform” in regard to use of force. In the reader commentary, I was asked for more specifics, and as usual I said, let’s wait for more info.

We have that now.  It’s time.

For more than the last decade I’ve chaired the Panel of Experts on Firearms and Deadly Force Training for ILEETA, the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, where I’ve also served on the Advisory Board since the organization’s inception. Prior to that, for some years I ran a similar panel for ASLET, the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, where I proudly served for 19 years as chair of the firearms/deadly force training committee, and also spent several years on that organization’s ethics committee.

For perspective, I believe I’m the only staff writer on Backwoods Home who has worked in law enforcement, which has made me sort of the “resident cop” for that particular organization.

Let me make it clear now that I speak only my own personal opinions in this blog entry and the ones that will follow, and not for any of the above-named organizations, nor for the police department I currently serve, and have proudly served for more than a quarter of a century.

The “PERF 30” has had a profound impact on law enforcement training and management since it came out a short time ago.  Having spent most of a week with some 800 police trainers from around the nation and the world, I’ve seen that impact.  When I ran this week’s Panel of Experts at ILEETA, we began the discussion with the PERF 30, and for the first time in all these years, we never got past that first point of discussion with the Panel and its many attendees.

There was much to discuss there, obviously, and just as obviously, much to discuss here.  Let me say now that I agree with about two-thirds of PERF’s recommendations, and one in particular.  In coming discussions we’ll look at “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.”  If you regularly read this blog, you know that one tenet here is the importance of having all the information from both sides before “coming to a verdict.”

Let’s start with a review of PERF’s 30 recommended policy changes.

Please review that.

Please feel free to comment here.

 

Back to you soon with my own commentary…which may take awhile.

 

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