The death of George Floyd, three weeks ago, at the hands of a police officer that should have been
protecting Mr. Floyd has stirred questions and concerns over police use of force, policies, practices,
accountability and social racial disparities. Although our Milpitas Police Department has not had similar
excessive force cases, I know it is important for you to know current police operations. I wish to share
with you some statistics, information on policies, and steps we will be taking to respond to community
questions and concerns.
Use of Force Policy and Statistics
We are committed to the preservation of safety and life during our police contacts and under that principle
there are interactions that result in injuries to citizens and officers. When needed, our policy and state
statute allow our officers the ability to use force that is reasonably necessary to accomplish an objective
of effecting an arrest, overcoming escape, or overcoming resistance. We take these actions extremely
seriously and our goal is to carry out these responsibilities without harm to anyone. Unfortunately, our
actions are often in response to violence towards others or officers and force is periodically required.
We critically review each use of force to ensure the officer’s decision-making and actions were within
policy, training, and law. Front line supervisors review the actions and the review is forwarded up to the
chain of command to the Chief’s Office. In reviewing the cases, we found the following:
