Ohio board proposes new deadly-force standard

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Police in Ohio could use deadly force when officers are defending themselves or other people from serious injury or death, according to a draft of a new deadly force standard released Tuesday by the state’s first police- standards board.

The standard is consistent with national and international policies on force, said John Born, the state’s public-safety director and chairman of the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.

Ohio law-enforcement agencies would have to adopt the standard as a minimum department policy. Many current departments probably exceed that, and most will meet or exceed them by the end of next year, Born said.

“Some agencies may have a two-page procedure, some may have 30-page procedures,” he said. Born called the proposal an unprecedented step forward for Ohio.

Agencies also must have policies for disseminating the standard through a department, training officers in the standard and disciplining them when violations occur.

In March 2017, the board will begin publicizing which of Ohio’s 900-plus law-enforcement agencies do and don’t have the standards. That will be the first time a statewide list of use-of-force standards will be available.

The board released the deadly force standard and a second on hiring and recruitment ahead of a Sept. 3 deadline.