Police in Phoenix will now have to document every time they draw their sidearm, thanks to a new decision made by the city.
The move comes after locals complained about how Phoenix Police officers draw their weapons as a pre-emptive measure, often when dealing with unknown threats or known dangerous suspects.
“When a gun is pointed at someone, that’s a traumatic event,” Police Chief Jeri Williams said at a news conference. “I think this is a first step in being … that accountable, transparent organization that is willing to share what we do and how we do it.”
According to CNN, PPD officers will now have to fill out forms when weapons are drawn, and the forms will be reviewed by a supervisor.
The May incident that sparked the debate involved weapons being drawn on a family that had allegedly shoplifted from a store, and the widely-disseminated cell phone footage that only covered part of the incident.
“Our community has…said that they want our police department to collect more data around the work they are doing in the field,” Mayor Kate Gallego said. “We know that what you measure is what you focus on.”
Other major metro agencies in the U.S., such as Dallas, Baltimore, Cleveland, and New Orleans, also require paperwork any time a weapon is drawn.
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