Latest news with #communityTrust
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
A third of cases involving use of force by ACT police were escalated by officers, ombudsman finds
A third of cases involving the use of force by police in the ACT involved situations being unnecessarily escalated by the "unprofessional behaviour" of officers, a report has found. The ACT Ombudsman analysed more than 6,200 use-of-force reports and 200 clips of body-worn camera vision and CCTV recorded between January 2019 and December 2023. Officers drew, aimed or discharged a taser more than 1,600 times during that period. A firearm was used in almost 320 incidents, and a baton was used almost 260 times. Ombudsman Iain Anderson said the investigation had uncovered cases where the police response had "unnecessarily inflamed situations", resulting in poor outcomes. "While we have seen some excellent conduct by officers, handling difficult interactions with care and respect, we are concerned at the unprofessional conduct, offensive and abusive language, and unnecessary aggression displayed by some officers, the seniority of whom does not appear to have been a determining factor," he said in the report. Mr Anderson said while force was sometimes necessary to uphold safety, misusing it eroded community trust. "It also has the potential to disproportionately impact vulnerable members of the ACT community, including young people, First Nations people and those experiencing mental health challenges," he said. About 17 per cent of use-of-force cases involved a mental health incident and 10 per cent involved an intoxicated person. Police officers reported experiencing injuries in 21 per cent of confrontations, ranging from minor injuries, like bruises or scratches, to major injuries including serious head knocks or broken bones. In one case highlighted by the ombudsman, police stopped a suspected drink driver, threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and left him face down in the gutter. The matter was heard in the ACT Magistrates Court in 2022, where Magistrate James Lawton took aim at the officers' unlawful use of force. "Removing the defendant from his car without giving him opportunity to comply and then throwing him to the ground were outrageous," he said. "The actions of these officers [were] deplorable and should be denounced. "A strong message must be sent that this behaviour will not be tolerated." In another case criticised by the ombudsman, police arrested a heavily intoxicated 16-year-old boy who had fallen off a bench with his pants tangled around his ankles. The teenager had sworn repeatedly at police but had not displayed physical aggression before he was grabbed, rolled over and handcuffed, the report found. As the situation escalated, the boy spat at police and was pepper sprayed. He was denied his request to have his eyes washed out, with an officer telling him "No! Don't f***ing spit at us, c***." The ombudsman made 13 recommendations to improve the use of force in the ACT. They include better equipping officers to engage with intoxicated people and those experiencing a mental health crisis. The Ombudsman has also called for extra safeguards around the way young people are handcuffed. Other recommendations relate to improving the use of body-worn cameras. "By not reliably collecting audio and visual [body-worn camera] evidence, ACT Policing is failing to comply with the law and undermining the legislative intent of promoting accountability and protecting the safety of both police officers and members of the community," the ombudsman's report said. ACT Policing has fully accepted two of the report's recommendations, partially accepted eight and not accepted three. In a letter of response to the ombudsman, ACT Chief Police Officer Scott Lee said the investigation overlooked the many times officers were able to de-escalate situations without needing to use force. He said in most cases, force is used reasonably and proportionately. "Where you identified officer conduct lacking and not appropriately dealt with, I would like to assure you that ACT Policing members are held to account." Deputy Commissioner Lee said behaviour in the report would be reviewed, noting several cases had already been referred to the Professional Standards Unit. Sanctions for officers found to have engaged in misconduct range from verbal counselling to criminal charges. In September 2024, ACT Policing announced the establishment of an Operations Safety Practices Committee, to "further enhance rigour around the use of force by members".
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
West Sac PD unveils new crime statistic tool
( — On Wednesday night, the West Sacramento Police Department unveiled a new transparency tool for residents called Commons. It gives the public direct access to criminal justice data in West Sacramento. The Commons website shares relevant crime statistics and long-term trends in West Sacramento. WSPD is working with the national non-profit Measures for Justice and has been guided by a community advisory board. It's the first of its kind in Northern California, a resource WSPD hopes will build community trust. Stanislaus SWAT Association supports victims' families with GoFundMe 'It allows us to come together in that commonality around that objective information and not demote somebody's personal experience, but be able to contextualize it within that data,' said WSPD Chief Robert Strange. Here's how to access Commons: Go to Click on What We Do Then Click Commons Scroll down and click on California, under Where Commons is helping communities today Finally, click EXPLORE under West Sacramento, CA The top of the Commons dashboard features three tabs, including policy goal, police data, and city information. WSPD's policy goal is to 'Maintain or reduce the 10.9-minute call-to-arriving times for community-generated calls through March 2026, as commitment and staffing levels change.' Chief Strange said that the goal is in response to community concerns: 'It's a reflection of the community saying, we appreciate our officers, but we want to make sure that there's enough of you to make sure you get to those emergencies in a time frame we want you to arrive.' West Sacramento Police and Measure for Justice will continue to update Commons quarterly to be transparent and provide reliable information. 'There will be some, some gaps in what people see on that dashboard that represent some of the goals we have in the future for what will be able to provide,' said Chief Strange. 'I think this is a product that helps create a little bit of certainty. Even in those times where it seems like some of that's shaken.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
