The Stanford Center for Racial Justice presented its work on a Model Use of Force Policy at the University’s Community Board on Public Safety meeting on July 19.

The SCRJ has been working on a Model Policy to help small and mid-sized cities who want to review and update their current use of force policies. Its design draws from existing policies in over 100 cities around the country, with a goal to promote use of force policies that are fair, safe, and equitable for everyone, explained George Brown, SCRJ Executive Director.

“A use of force policy is not a panacea or a magic solution to the challenges of policing,” Brown said. “Yet while not a complete solution, improving use of force policies and practices can reduce police violence. It’s an important part of a larger policing conversation shaped by law and policy—and encouraging a system of accountability that includes training; implementation; data collection, reporting, and evaluation; and transparency.”

The SCRJ’s Model Policy is an extension of the work of a lot of others in the area of use of force. While there are varied starting points for police departments in the area of public safety reform, “essentially, we want to urge them to move from where they are to a place that reflects a better attempt to reduce unnecessary uses of force,” Brown said.

The SCRJ is preparing to release a beta version of its Model Policy in mid-August. We invite feedback and collaborations throughout the beta test period. Contact us at scrj@law.stanford.edu with any questions.

To view our Model Policy deck presentation as a PDF, please fill out the brief form below.

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