Use of Force

The NUPD requires its officers, in all that they do, to protect the constitutional rights of its constituent community; to strive toward legitimate authority always considering the principles of procedural justice including fairness, voice, transparency, and impartiality; to use force judiciously and only that force that is reasonable; and to convey in values, mission, and written directives a sense of responsibility and compassion.

Legitimacy reflects the belief that officers will consider the intention of the law before the letter of the law; and will act according to what they should do rather than what they can do.

The work world of police is too complex to teach officers what they should and should not do in every circumstance; however, we can teach officers to think about how they should act and allow them to reflect on and discuss their actions, thereby improving over time according to a set of shared values, knowledge, and skills.

These values include: Diversity & Inclusion, Engagement, Individual Well-Being, Collaboration, and Innovation.

All NUPD policies and procedures have been written according to best practices and CALEA Accreditation Standards.

Immediately following every reported use of force, the NUPD conducts a comprehensive review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the use of force.  This review includes a first line supervisor review of the justification, the appropriateness, and in adherence with policy based on the facts and circumstances of the incident.

After the first line review, the report is further reviewed by the Lieutenant of Patrol according to the same standards.

Next, the report is reviewed by the Deputy Chief of Police. If after these reviews it is determined that the use of force was excessive or violated policy, the incident is referred to Internal Affairs for Investigation.

Whether the use of force is determined to appropriate or not, the Lieutenant of Professional Standards reviews the incident to look for opportunities to enhance training, to optimize equipment, and to revise policy if needed.

In addition to the above, the Office of Professional Standards conducts an annual review of all incidents according to CALEA standards to evaluate any trends or patterns related to race, age, or gender. Also, for trends or patterns that resulted in an injury including an employee of the department.

The Annual Analysis is provided to the Chief of Police with findings and recommendations for improvement to training, policy, equipment, and personnel.

The NUPD is committed to continual improvement and does not wait for an incident to think progressively, to reflect on all of its activities, and to evolve over time.