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Saturday, June 04, 2016

Baltimore Police Announce New Operating Policy Manual

A week after they announced a more robust method of getting policy changes out to officers, Baltimore Police on Friday unveiled a handbook they're distributing to the entire force.

What once was a thumb drive handed out at the academy stuffed with 208 procedures has been boiled down to 26 key policies and guidelines on subjects like use of force, prisoner transport and lawful First Amendment activities. Instead of being on a thumb drive, these will be in a binder to be carried by all officers at all times.

"They should have it at their fingertips and they should be readily and immediately ready to refer to," Commissioner Kevin Davis said.

Officer training and documentation thereof has been a key issue in the trials in the death of Freddie Gray. Davis stressed that the guide's introduction isn't necessarily a response to recent events, or any kind of punishment for officers. In fact, Davis said, he would have been thrilled to have such a guide when he was starting his career.

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