Proposal limits when cops can pull guns

The Chicago Police Department for the first time will ask the public to comment on proposed changes in how officers may use force against people suspected of crimes - proposals that already are worrying some officers, such as restrictions on when to draw a weapon.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has sent a memo to officers giving them highlights of the changes.

Among the most controversial proposals among the rank-and-file is for officers to keep their guns in their holsters "unless there is a reasonable belief that such action is necessary for the officer's safety or the safety of others," several officers told the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.

One sergeant said he was worried the restriction could prompt officers to second-guess themselves in potentially dangerous situations in which they might have drawn their guns in the past.

The proposal is similar to a recommendation by the Independent Police Review Authority, which in its second-quarter report said CPD should prohibit officers from drawing their guns "unless the circumstances make clear that the use of deadly force is likely to be required."

Officers and the public will have 45 days to comment on the new use of force proposals. The department has created a web portal that will allow citizens and cops alike to sound off on the proposed changes.

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