LAPD Hopes New Policy Will Reduce Police Shootings

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Police Commission is expected to approve a new "use of force" policy, aimed at reducing the number of officer-involved shootings.

New training for officers will emphasize de-escalation instead of deadly force.

In the last 18 months there have been a number of controversial officer-involved shootings such as the Ezell Ford case.

In the past there had been no conversation within the LAPD Commission and the police union. The crowd at meetings would be told that changes would be made but the epidemic of police shootings continued, according to Lt. Craig Lally, of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

"We came up with some ideas that could make the Use of Force policy better, along with their recommendations and now we have an agreement," Lally said.

The agreement in writing, will have specific dos and don'ts for when officers are faced with the possibility of having to use force.

"We're going to emphasize de-escalation and require our officers go to that first," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said. "As we move forward, I think officers will become better and better."