Free Republic

MINNEAPOLIS — The fatal shooting of an Australian woman by a Minneapolis police officer responding to her 911 call “should not have happened,” police Chief Janee Harteau said Thursday, adding that the officer’s actions “go against who we are in the department.” In her first public remarks since the death of Justine Damond, a 40-year-old life coach and bride-to-be, Harteau defended Officer Mohamed Noor’s training but criticized his actions. “The actions in question go against who we are in the department, how we train and the expectations we have for our officers,” Harteau said. “These were the actions and judgment...

The Minneapolis Police Department has announced four policy changes aimed at defusing conflicts between officers and the public that can turn deadly. Chief Janee Harteau (lesbian) said Monday the "sanctity of life" is the cornerstone of her department's use-of-force policy. She says officers should use de-escalation tactics whenever reasonably possible, while slowing down situations to reduce the risk of injury to officers and the public. The changes also give officers a duty to intervene to prevent others from using force improperly and a duty to report misconduct.