G7.1.11 Administrative Review of Use of Force
Chapter: Chapter 07: Use of Force
Sub-Chapter: 7.1 - Use of Force
Effective Date: 02/24/2020
Revised Date: 06/18/2024
Rescinds: G7.1.11 – 6/21/2022
Purpose
To provide the Indiana University Police Department (IUPD) with a clearly defined process for reviewing use of force incidents.
General Order
The IUPD will conduct a documented administrative review of all use of force incidents.
Administrative Review of Use of Force (7.1.11)
Use of force incidents are submitted using a Critical Decision-Making (CDM) incident form, as specified in G7.1.10 Reporting Use of Force Incidents.
On Duty Supervisor Review
The CDM incident form will be routed to the on duty supervisor, unless there was no on duty supervisor or the on duty supervisor is the officer who used force, in which case the form will be routed to the appropriate divisional leader. If needed, this supervisor review may be reassigned to another supervisor for review.
Prior to the end of their duty shift, the reviewing supervisor will:
- review the incident and all documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- determine if all recordings required by G9.1.7 Use of Audio/Video Recorders have been captured, classified, and uploaded appropriately.
- review relevant body worn camera, in car video system and/or surveillance camera recordings if such recordings exist.
- identify and interview witnesses as appropriate.
- ensure that the scene of the use of force has been appropriately documented.
- make a statement that the use of force is either appropriate or not appropriate.
- make a statement that the documentation provided by the officer is complete and accurate or not complete and accurate.
- have the option to mark the incident as needing further review. If the supervisor indicates that the incident requires further review, the supervisor will specifically articulate the aspects of the incident which require further review. The director for professional standards and education, the superintendent for public safety, the deputy superintendents and the appropriate divisional leader will be notified of any incident flagged for further review by a supervisor.
Divisional Review
Once the supervisor has completed their review, the CDM incident form will be routed to the appropriate divisional leader for review. All others within the chain of command will be provided notification.
Within seventy-two (72) hours of receiving the CDM incident form, the appropriate divisional leader (or their designee if the divisional leader is unavailable within the seventy-two hours) will:
- review the incident and all documentation for completeness and accuracy. This will include a review of relevant audio recordings from the call for service and initial dispatch radio traffic, body worn camera, in car video system and/or surveillance camera recordings if such recordings exist.
- make a statement that the use of force is either appropriate or not appropriate.
- make a statement that the documentation provided by the officer is complete and accurate or not complete and accurate.
- have the option to mark the incident as needing further review. If the divisional leader indicates that the incident requires further review, they will specifically articulate the aspects of the incident which require further review. The director for professional standards and education, the superintendent for public safety, and the deputy superintendents will be notified of any incident flagged for further review by a divisional leader.
The divisional leader may request an extension for completing their review from the director for professional standards and education.
Independent Administrative Review
Once the divisional leader has completed their review, the CDM incident form will be routed to the director for professional standards and education for their review. Within seventy-two (72) hours of receiving the CDM incident form, the director for professional standards and education will determine if there is a need for an internal affairs investigation. If an internal affairs investigation is initiated, then the CDM review process will be placed on hold pending the outcome of the internal affairs investigation. If there is not a need for an internal affairs investigation, the director for professional standards and education will assign the CDM to be reviewed by a person or review group not affiliated with the division whose officer used force.
Within three (3) weeks of receiving a CDM review assignment the reviewer(s) will review the incident, and all associated documentation and produce recommendations stating:
- Either no internal affairs investigation is needed, or that the officer’s actions during the incident should be subjected to an internal affairs investigation, as specified in G4.2.1 Complaint Investigations.
- Either no training, remedial or otherwise, is needed, or that the officer should receive remedial training, as specified in G6.1.3 Remedial Training, or that training should be referred to the Training Committee, as specified in G6.1.1 Establishes Training Committee, for consideration of a department wide training course.
- Either no review of IUPD General Orders is needed, or that specific general orders should be reviewed for modification, as specified in G1.1.4 Written Directives System, based on the use of force incident.
Related Information
Indiana University Police Department
- G4.2.1 Complaint Investigations
- G6.1.3 Remedial Training
- G7.1.10 Reporting Use of Force Incidents
- G9.1.7 Use of Audio/Video Recorders