The IIP Working Group on Officer-Involved Fatalities (Photo courtesy of John Jay College of Criminal Justice)
The Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (IIP) has released The Prosecutor's Role in Addressing Officer-Involved Fatalities and Critical Incidents: A Toolkit for Prosecutors. The toolkit is the result of a year-long collaboration between family members, prosecutors, police chiefs, and law enforcement and policy experts, including the Policing Project.
The toolkit is designed to help guide prosecutors and community members nationwide to prevent and address officer involved fatalities. Included in the toolkit is the Policing Project’s Use-Of-Force Policy Guidelines outlining best practices on use of deadly force.
“Our hope is that community members, municipal leaders, and prosecutors will encourage their local police departments to incorporate these best practices into department policy and officer training," said Policing Project Deputy Director Farhang Heydari, who is a member of the IIP Working Group on Officer-Involved Fatalities.
Approximately 1,000 people, disproportionately people of color, are killed in officer-involved critical incidents every year.
The IIP Toolkit, which will be distributed to DA’s offices across the country, includes a step-by-step process prosecutors can use to ensure thorough, transparent, and timely investigations as well as recommendations such as dedicated staff who meet with organizers, develop relationships with family members, and respond to the scene immediately.
To learn more about the Institute of Innovation in Prosecution, or download the Toolkit for Prosecutors and Communities to Address and Prevent Police-Involved Fatalities, visit https://www.prosecution.org/participation.