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Orlando reviewing police department’s use of force policies

Police will share presentation at a city council meeting next month

ORLANDO, Fla. – During a virtual city council meeting Monday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the city's police department currently follows a series of recommendations aimed at minimizing civilian deaths at the hands of police.

Dyer indicated the city could soon be taking steps to commit some of the unwritten practices and training procedures into formal department policy.

“Although we have made great strides in being an inclusive community, it is not enough. In Orlando, we do need to agree we need action and we need to seize this moment,” Dyer said.

The mayor indicated that he supports “8 Can’t-Wait”, a series of eight recommendations promoted by the organization Campaign Zero that it believes will reduce killings by police.

Dyer said the Orlando Police Department currently adheres to all eight of the recommendations in some form, such as banning chokeholds.

“We do not train chokeholds,” Dyer told News 6. “We may not specifically say that in the policy. But we’re going to say that in policy.”

  • Ban chokeholds and strangleholds
  • Require de-escalation
  • Require warning before shooting
  • Exhaust all alternatives before shooting
  • Duty to intervene
  • Ban shooting at moving vehicles
  • Require use of force continuum
  • Require comprehensive reporting

The City of Orlando’s website addresses how the police department complies with those recommendations at this link.

According to Dyer, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon is currently reviewing and revising the agency’s use of force policies.

The chief will make a presentation to the city council next month, said Dyer.


About the Author
Mike DeForest headshot

Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter Mike DeForest has been covering Central Florida news for more than two decades.

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