Tallahassee Police Department’s use of force policy is used in ‘best practice,’ audit finds
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The City of Tallahassee Inspector General Dennis Sutton found the local police department’s use of force policy was in best practice in an audit released on Monday.
The review evaluated the department’s General Order 60 – Response to Resistance policy, also known as GO-60. The policy provides guidelines for how officers are expected to interact with individuals who resist lawful order during an encounter.
“We concluded that GO-60 aligns with best practices and promotes the safety of the public and police officers,” the audit said. “TPD’s efforts that contribute to effective policy development include external oversight, community involvement, and maintaining law enforcement accreditation.”
The report explained how, through the Citizens Advisory Council and the Citizens Review Police Board, the department “incorporates best practices expected from a modern police force.”
The Inspector General’s audit also found that GO-60 included all of Campaign Zero’s “8 Can’t Wait” policy recommendations. The recommendations include a ban on chokeholds, improved de-escalation tactics and comprehensive reporting and documentation of each use of force incident.
The audit came after progressive community members and activists expressed concerns with the department’s policies.
Calls for an evaluation became even more vocal after Tallahassee police officers participated in a training exercise with a controversial former Navy SEAL who had recently been acquitted for war crimes in the Middle East.
Ultimately, the audit provided three enhancement recommendations for the department to consider in order to potentially improve practices even more.
Recommendations included adding a part to GO-60 specific to restraining individuals who are resisting lawful order, prohibit retaliation against officer or people who report excessive force incidents and that the department annually produces a report detailing all Use of Force incidents that result in serious injury.
“The TPD does an excellent job of upholding professionalism, accountability, and transparency, as evidenced by its notable accreditations and the development of use of force procedures that align with numerous best practices. However, continuous improvement is crucial,” the report said.
“The recommendations presented in this report aim to enhance the safety of the public and officers while strengthening public trust in the department and are not intended to indicate GO-60 does not incorporate modern policing standards and best practices,” it concluded.
