NEW HAVEN POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES SERIES OF NEW INITIATIVES AND REFORMS ON PRISONER TRANSPORT SAFETY, INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF MEDICAL ATTENTION, DEPARTMENT-WIDE TRAININGS, & PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALLS 

(Video of the press conference can be found here.)

NEW HAVEN, CT | Today at police headquarters, Mayor Justin Elicker, New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson, and Chief Administrative Officer Regina Rush-Kittle announced a series of new initiatives and reforms at the New Haven Police Department (NHPD), including: new policies and standard operating procedures to enhance safety and security protocols for prisoner transportation, detention facility operations, and individuals in need of medical attention; new department-wide trainings on “active bystandership” and de-escalation; and a series of public safety town halls set to begin next week.

These new initiatives stem from an initial review of the June 19^th in-custody incident and injury involving Mr. Richard Cox as well as other newly planned initiatives by newly installed Police Chief Karl Jacobson and Mayor Justin Elicker.

“The incident that happened with Mr. Cox was unacceptable, and we are committed to making the necessary changes and having the necessary conversations to further strengthen the City’s approach to public safety and to ensure that our police department is operating in a manner that best serves our residents, supports our officers, and is consistent with our shared values of dignity, respect, and compassion for all New Haveners,” say Mayor Justin Elicker. “We promised the public quick and decisive action and accountability, and today’s initiatives and reforms are important steps towards fulfilling that commitment. I also look forward to the upcoming town halls to engage further with residents on these important issues.”

“As I’ve said from day one, the New Haven Police Department is committed to doing everything in our power to make sure an incident like the one that happened to Mr. Cox never happens again. The initiatives and reforms we’re announcing today are an important series of actions to make good on that promise,” said Chief Karl Jacobson. “These new standard operations protocols and procedures, new department-wide trainings, and upcoming community conversations will make us a better and stronger police force, and enable us to better to fulfill our commitment to protect, serve, and partner with the community in a way that aligns with our high standards, mission, and values.”

More specifically, the new initiatives and reforms announced today include:

1. New policies and standard operating procedures (SOP) on prisoner transportation and detention facility operations. Organized in Special Order 22-03 and effective as of July 3^rd, these measures compliment NHPD General Order 5.02 and are designed to help ensure the safety of prisoners, officers, and the public when a person is taken into custody and transported. They include:

• Requiring the primary means of transporting prisoners to be in a marked police cruiser.

• Requiring that prisoner conveyance vans can only be used for transportation to court, when a prisoner’s size or other physical conditions preclude the use of a marked patrol vehicle, or for a special event that may result in multiple arrests. The latter two instances also require authorized approval from a supervising officer.

• Requiring all prisoners to be secured in any transport vehicle by proper use of seat belt, and specific documentation and approval requirements in the event that a prisoner is combative or officer safety considerations make doing so impractical.

• Requiring officers to operate any transport vehicle in a manner that is calculated to maintain the safety and security of the prisoner and at a speed not to exceed the posted speed limit.

• Prohibiting officers from the use of cellular telephones, without a hands-free device, while engaging in the transport of a prisoner.

In addition, a comprehensive review of detention facility policies and procedures has been initiated, begun by a new supervising officer, and this will include random body camera audits to support the potential need for enhanced training.

 2.  New policies and standard operating procedures (SOP) on individuals in need of medical         attention. These measures are also codified in Special Order 22-03 and compliment NHPD General Order   5.02. They include:

• Requiring all officers to make an initial inquiry prior to transport and upon arrival at the detention facility during the intake process to determine whether a prisoner is injured and/or needs medical assistance. If a prisoner is injured, complains of injury, appears to be in an unstable medical or mental health status, appears to be in need of medical attention, or requests medical attention prior to transport, the officers must immediately contact their supervisor and request that an EMS be dispatched to their current location.

• Requiring the monitoring of the physical well-being of prisoners during transport.

• Requiring specific procedures to be followed by officers if during the transport a prisoner is injured, complains of injury, appears to be in an unstable medical or mental health status, appears to be in need of medical attention, or requests medical attention, or if the transporting vehicle is involved in a collision.

Complimenting Special Order 22-03 is required department-wide training, which will begin today. All officers will be trained within two weeks, requiring a knowledge test of the content.

The changes outlined in this Special Order will be submitted for permanent adoption by the Police Commission as a General Order of the New Haven Police Department. The Special Order is also aligned with proposed state legislation “concerning the provision of emergency medical services to an individual who is in the custody or control of a peace officer.”

3. New department-wide ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) training, which all officers will be required to complete within the next 6 months. ABLE is national-recognized training program designed “to prepare officers to successfully intervene to prevent harm and to create a law enforcement culture that supports peer intervention” in order to help “prevent misconduct,” “avoid police mistakes,” and “promote officer health and wellness.”

 4. New department-wide ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) training, which all officers will be required to complete within the next 6 months. ICAT is nationally-recognized training program that “provides first responding police officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to successfully and safely defuse a range of critical incidents.” Yesterday, the 20 newly sworn-in officers from the New Haven Police Academy’s Class XXV were the first class to graduate trained in ICAT, which is “especially for situations involving persons who are unarmed or are armed with weapons other than firearms, and who may be experiencing a mental health or other crisis.”

 5. A series of Public Safety Town Halls and community conversations convened by Mayor Elicker and Chief Jacobson, and open to all New Haven residents, with the first one next week.

• Thursday, July 14^th, 6 – 8 pm, at Hill Regional Career High School (140 Legion Ave);
• Tuesday, July 26^th, 6 – 8 pm, at Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration (FAME) (255 Blatchley Ave);
• Wednesday, August 3^rd, 6 – 8 pm at James Hillhouse High School (480 Sherman Avenue).  

Press Contacts:

City of New Haven
Lenny H. Speiller (he/him)
Director of Communications
Mayor Justin Elicker | City of New Haven
165 Church Street | New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203) 725-4249
Email: Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov