Local police discuss changes to police policy

Local police discuss changes to police policy

16 today newswatch 12's alicia rubin spoke with medford police about their policies and proposed policy reform.

Alicia says: mpd says that most of these new policies that are just now being implimented in other cities have been a part of mpd for years following protests surrounding the murder of george floyd, large u.s. cities are taking a second look at their police protocol.

New york and los angeles mayor's have called for cuts to police budgets, minneapolis is completely reinventing how public safety is handled, colorado police are calling for a 'duty to intervene' law.

Here in medford, there haven't been any discussions to cut law enforcement budgets but m-p-d has taken a look at proposed changes.

Jason says: we've taken a look at these initiatives and to be quite honest with you most of the stuff we're already doing jackson county sheriff nathan sickler says his office is considering a change to its police verbiage surrounding descalation.

Sickler says: "it's something we practice and subscribe to it's just the wording isn't really strong in our policy" both the sheriff's office and mpd have a 'duty to intervene' policy that requires officers to report fellow officers for any excessive behavior.

Jason says: if we're seeing things that are excessive and we just remain silent turn a blind eye turn a deaf ear; we can't do that, that's unacceptable current policy also calls for all 'use of force' incidents to be reported.

Jason says: there is some merit in what people are saying about police use of force reform --butted-- there quite possibly needs to be some changes to keep things like the killing of george floyd from ever happening again alicia says: "its not just policy reform that we're seeing be discussed on the national level with police agencies, we're also seeing discussions surround the use of force by police.

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