Association News

My Fellow IACLEA Members,

As many of you have undoubtedly seen, a consortium of law enforcement organizations recently released a National Consensus Policy on Use of Force. This was an important initiative and one that was needed given the changing times in which we live. IACLEA understands the importance of clear and contemporary written directives, and believes that policies and procedures should be grounded in the best professional and legal standards. Although IACLEA was not a signatory on the final document, I wanted membership to know that we were at the table during these discussions, represented by Executive Director Sue Riseling and President-Elect David Bousquet.

Despite participating extensively in the discussions, IACLEA chose not to sign on to the final document following discussion by the Board. The Boards primary concern was that the model policy conflicts with IACLEAs existing accreditation standards. Specifically, the model policy permits the use of warning shots in limited circumstances, while our accreditation standards expressly prohibit this practice. The Board did not believe that it could endorse a policy that was in direct contradiction to the Associations own professional standards. The Board also had concerns with the language addressing the use of force to stop a fleeing felon, as well as discharging a weapon at a moving vehicle. It is also important to note that IACLEA was not the only coalition member that chose not to endorse the final draft of the Consensus Policy.

The IACLEA Standards were developed several years ago, and they are continually updated by the IACLEA Accreditation Commission to reflect unique best practices for campus public safety agencies. The accreditation program is a flagship of our organization, and the Board felt it paramount that we do nothing that would undercut or devalue the standards that we endorse for our member institutions.

While we were not a signatory on the final draft, we were grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important initiative. I would also like to point out that the final draft includes provisions that IACLEA supports, including the use of de-escalation techniques, provisions for providing medical assistance following the use of force, investigation and documentation of use-of-force incidents, as well as documented annual training on department policies and legal updates. We believe this was a valuable initiative for law enforcement; and we look forward to continued collaboration with other professional associations and governmental agencies.

Randy A. Burba President January 31, 2017