SOUTH BEND â After a debate on whether or not to delay the vote on a new use-of-force policy for South Bend police officers, the Board of Public Safety approved the guidelines Wednesday. Board members labeled the revised policy a positive step forward, while also calling on the mayor to submit additional changes to the board in coming months.
The newly adopted policy will formally ban chokeholds, require officers to avoid deploying force whenever possible by using de-escalation techniques, and require officers to use only the force needed to overcome threats. The policy also requires officers to report instances of excessive force.