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City Council Meeting Minutes July 7, 2020 <br />an example of the incident in 2018 SXSW festival in Austin where a driver <br />plowed through a crowd reveal shooting at a moving vehicle may be necessary <br />for extreme events to protect public safety. Chief Klett stated that the intention <br />is not to shoot at the person in the vehicle but to disable the vehicle. <br />Use of Force Continuum Initiative: <br />The use of force continuum is a dated concept that is not recognized as current <br />best practices and is not in line with the most recent relevant case law <br />regarding the use of force by police (Graham v Connor). We used the use of <br />force continuum for many years before adapting to the more current minimum <br />reasonable and necessary standard. The SMPD follows one of the most <br />restrictive use of force model protocols: Officers must only use the force that is <br />reasonable and necessary to effectively bring an incident under control while <br />effectively protecting the lives of the officer and others. <br />The department has moved to this standard several years ago, which is actually <br />more restrictive in that an officer must articulate why they used that specific <br />force they did instead of just pointing to a continuum and using force just <br />because it was allowed. This department values the protection and sanctity of <br />human life. The policy of this department that officers use only the force that <br />is reasonable and necessary to effectively bring an incident under control while <br />protecting the lives of the officer and others. <br />Comprehensive Use of Force Reporting Initiative: <br />SMPD Policy reference under 6.1 Response to Resistance and Aggression VII. <br />Reporting Use of Force: Officers shall document any application of force, <br />other than the routine use of handcuffs or use of a firm grip to direct the <br />movements of a subject, except for those arising in training, departmental <br />demonstrations, or off duty recreational activities. In all cases using force, <br />including the Taser, or reports of an assault on an officer, or resisting arrest, <br />the on duty supervisor shall conduct a review of available body or vehicle <br />camera footage to determine if officers followed protocol and used reasonably <br />necessary force. <br />Chief Klett stated that supervisor reviews all use of force reports and reviewed <br />a second time by a member of administration. The department conducts early <br />intervention through the process of quarterly and random reviews of body <br />worn and in car camera footage by first line supervisory personnel. This <br />current process has been in place for nearly 20 years and updated along the <br />way with mandatory review of certain incidents. <br />City of San Marcos Page 7 <br />