Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Metropolitan Police Commission adopts pepperball policy, updates SWAT and accident-investigation orders
Summary
The Metropolitan Police Commission voted to institute a new general order governing Pepperball systems and to adopt several internal-order changes including an amendment to major-accident procedures and updates tied to joining the Northwest Regional SWAT team. All motions passed by roll call or voice vote.
The Metropolitan Police Commission on Thursday approved a package of internal policy changes that institute a policy for Pepperball systems and update several emergency-response and investigative orders.
Commission members adopted general order 15.9, titled a Pepperball System policy, and approved corrections to general order 1.1 on major accident investigation. The commission also voted to remove general order 16.3 (emergency response team command structure) and to amend general order 16.4 to align SWAT selection with the Northwest Regional SWAT team. The motions were moved and seconded in each case; where a roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting transcript, every commissioner voted in the affirmative and the motions passed.
Why it matters: the new and revised orders change departmental procedures for less-lethal systems and update how the department coordinates SWAT participation with an external regional unit. The removal of the 16.3 command-structure rule was framed in the meeting as a consequence of the department transitioning from MTAS to the Northwest Regional SWAT arrangement.
Details of the votes and motions: the transcript records that commissioners moved and seconded each item; general order 1.1 (major accident investigation) was amended and passed after a roll-call vote, general order 15.9 (Pepperball System) was instituted and passed by roll call, general order 16.3 (emergency response team command structure) was removed and passed by roll call, and general order 16.4 (SWAT selection) was amended and passed by roll call. Where only a voice vote was recorded, the chair announced the motion carried.
No substantive public comment or opposition on the floor was recorded in the meeting transcript. The chief and commissioners indicated members had received copies of the proposed changes and had an opportunity to review them before the votes.
The commission adjourned after routine announcements; the meeting record lists the next regular meeting on December 5 at 11:00 a.m.
