INDIANAPOLIS – On July 1, several new laws went into effect in Indiana.
This includes updating the deadly force guidelines for law enforcement agencies.
For the past year and a half, the Law Enforcement Training Board has been working to create a uniform policy for all agencies in the state to follow regarding the use of deadly force.
The board consists of over 20 people from all walks of life.
The Indiana General Assembly has tasked her with streamlining the policy in 2022.
“The idea was to create a standard for police officers across the state so that the performance of police officers in Lake County was the same as that of police officers in Vanderburgh County,” said Timothy Horty, executive director of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
In Indiana, an officer is permitted to use deadly force if there is reasonable suspicion that there is an imminent danger to a citizen or to themselves.
Under the old law, each agency had its own understanding of what an officer considered an acceptable situation for the use of deadly force.
The justification will now be based on national case law.
“The new law that is in place puts the use of force in line with what is practiced nationally and, as I understand it, is consistent with Graham v. Connor 1989,” said Pastor James Jackson of Fervent Prayer.
Jackson served on the Police Performance Board for four years.
One tactic that some authorities allowed and others did not is the use of chokeholds.
The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy recognizes that there are differing opinions as to whether or not choking is appropriate.
“If there is a significant risk of serious injury to a citizen or police officer in the event of deadly force, then frankly anything is possible and in the state of Indiana any tactic is appropriate and permissible,” Horty said.
This policy is taught to new recruits and serving officers to ensure it is fully understood in the field.
“I think it’s a living policy and as new Supreme Court cases come up, new state laws come up or new case law in Indiana comes along, we will of course change it as needed,” Horty added.
Full guidelines can be found below.
