City releases draft of new use-of-force policy for South Bend Police Department

SOUTH BEND, Ind.— South Bend Mayor James Mueller and Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski presented a draft of the department’s new use of force policy for public review on Thursday.

Mueller said the new policy emphasizes the use of de-escalation tactics and “the use of force only when reasonable, necessary and proportional to a threat.”

Choke holds and strangleholds are specifically prohibited in the new use-of-force policy.

The city will host a virtual Community Action Group meeting on August 26 at 7 p.m. Citizens may attend the meeting via a link posted to the city’s website.

At the meeting, community members will be able to review the drafted policy and provide feedback. 

For the next three weeks, the city will also take feedback through an electronic form. 

Read the full draft of the city's new use of force policy below: