By Joanna Putman
Police1
MESA, Ariz. — The Mesa Police Department unveiled new training and policy changes aimed at reducing deadly encounters following a significant increase in officer-involved shootings in 2022, ABC15 reported.
The department reported 17 shootings that year — nearly three times the city’s annual average of six, according to the report.
“This was really high,” said Police Chief Ken Cost during a Nov. 19 open house event. “It was almost like two years combined.”
The changes are the result of a comprehensive “sentinel review” conducted by a team of officers, Arizona State University experts and community members, according to the report. The review analyzed each shooting incident to identify patterns and recommend improvements. Findings revealed that nearly half of the shootings occurred within the first minute of an encounter, and in 47% of the cases, officers fired their weapons within five seconds of unholstering.
“The fact that officers had to make a split-second decision in nearly half of these cases is one of the factors we wanted to address with tactics,” Cost state.
Key reforms include training officers to create “time and distance” in tense situations, which allows for de-escalation and the use of communication techniques, according to the report. Posters outlining these changes were displayed at the open house, where dozens of residents had the opportunity to ask police leaders questions.
In addition to traditional investigations into whether the use of force was justified, new after-action reviews will evaluate the entire incident, identifying best practices and areas for improvement, according to the report.
