New Arlington Heights policy requires cops to intervene in excessive force cases

At the urging of residents, Arlington Heights Police Chief Nick Pecora has added a new policy to his department's rules that requires officers to intervene if a colleague is using excessive force.

All 104 sworn officers were required to review and sign off on the policy change that tells them "what their new obligation is, should they be confronted with something like transpired in Minneapolis," said Pecora, referencing the May 25 death of George Floyd after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

The old rules only required Arlington Heights officers to report cases of excessive force to department superiors, but now cops "shall, when in a position to do so, safely intercede to prevent the use of such excessive force," according to the agency's amended response to resistance general order.

Pecora outlined the rule change as part of a lengthy review and discussion of the department's operations during a village board meeting this week.

After fielding a number of emails, petitions and other comments about policing strategies in recent weeks, Pecora emphasized practices and policies his department already has in place.

Since 2016, the department has had an explicit ban on chokeholds, "unless a deadly response to resistance is justified," according to department rules.

"I've been an officer 34 years and I was never taught how to use a chokehold as an arrest technique," Pecora said.

Policies also require use of de-escalation strategies, warning before shooting, a ban on shooting at moving vehicles, and use of other force, such as pepper spray or a baton, before considering lethal force.

Whenever an officer uses force, the on-duty supervisor must file a report that is reviewed by department command staff. All the reports are reviewed annually by a deputy police chief, who determines if there are any patterns or trends that would require more training or policy changes.

Those department procedures have been regularly reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies since 2008, when the department received its first accreditation. It got recertified in 2011, 2014 and 2017, and is up for another formal review next year.

Arlington Heights is among 4.5% of law enforcement agencies nationwide that has the accreditation.

Pecora suggested the commission consider requiring duty to intervene policies for future accreditations.

"I hope they take into consideration what has happened and how we can better move forward as a profession," Pecora said. "Every day is an opportunity to learn and if you don't use that mindset, then I think you've got your blinders on."