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Select Board approves seven revised police general orders ahead of accreditation visit
Summary
The Select Board authorized seven updated Brookline Police Department general orders — including updates on use of force, citations and field training — as the department prepares for a mock accreditation assessment and a full accreditation visit this spring.
The Select Board voted March 5 to approve seven revised general orders from the Brookline Police Department as the department prepares for a triennial accreditation assessment.
Chair Bernard Green and Deputy Chief (appearing on behalf of the chief) outlined the updates, which officials said are largely accreditations-driven clarifications rather than sweeping policy changes.
Nut graf: The changes include administrative and procedural edits to align with accreditation standards — for example, incorporating e-citations, moving a field‑training program into a general order, reorganizing the chokehold definition, and clarifying the department’s guidance on firing at moving vehicles. The department said a mock accreditation assessment is scheduled next week with the actual assessment set for May.
Deputy Chief Campbell told the board officers are shifting from paper to electronic citations for moving violations and that the department has added printers to patrol computers so citations can be issued digitally and data transmitted to the state. The department also folded an existing field-training officer program — previously in a special order — into a general order to make it permanent policy.
On use‑of‑force language, the updated order re‑located the statutory chokehold definition into the definitions section for clarity; the order also restated the department’s longstanding practice discouraging shooting at moving vehicles but acknowledged narrow exceptions when a vehicle is being used as a deadly weapon. The department described the language change as an organizational clarification rather than a substantive policy shift.
Select Board members asked about training and how the department ensures officers review and sign updated policies. The department said policies will be distributed through the department’s PowerDMS system; officers must read the changes, pass a quiz and then sign off electronically.
The board approved the seven general orders by roll call; members present recorded unanimous support.
Ending: The department told the board it expects the March mock assessment to be followed by a formal accreditation review in May and said the bulk of additional policy changes should be minor after that assessment.
