North Aurora Police gets federal use-of-force certification

NORTH AURORA – The North Aurora Police Department received certification Jan. 20 that it meets federal use-of-force requirements as set by the United States Department of Justice – but it simply attests to policies the department has had for years, Chief David Fisher said.

“The Department of Justice is going around checking police department policies,” Fisher said. “The main thing they want to see is that we no longer allow – and we haven’t for a long time – things like choke holds.”

Other policies are requiring an officer to render aid if he or she has to use deadly force against a suspect, Fisher said.

“If you have to use deadly force, don’t just leave them lie there, call 911 and request an ambulance and medical aid, then do first aid that you are able to do at the scene,” Fisher said.

Another policy the Department of Justice wants to see – and North Aurora already has – is a duty of officers to intervene when observing an excessive use of force.

The policy is directly connected to George Floyd’s death last year after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis officer who knelt on his neck while several uniformed officers stood around and watched.

“They need to be intervening if they see another officer is above and beyond what it should be,” Fisher said. “I believe that because of all the stuff going on, they’re trying to make sure police have these … policies. And if they don’t, they’re saying you need to. … A lot of this isn’t new stuff. It’s what we’ve been doing for a number of years now.”

The department issued a news release about its certification, stating the Presidential Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities empowers the U.S. Attorney General to designate independent credentialing bodies, including the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, to certify that a law enforcement agency meets certain standards on the use of force.

Following a review, including applicable policies and training, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police determined that the North Aurora Police Department meets the conditions for certification, the release stated.

“The North Aurora Police Department always strives to be professional, fair, and unbiased, and to only use force when it is reasonable and necessary,” Fisher stated in the release. “We meet this standard through regular reviews of our practices and policies and this certification confirms for the public that we are meeting best practices.”

Fisher said the department follows federal and state guidelines and now has a letter of certification to show it.

One benefit the department may pursue are federal grants, he said.

“Our department does not get that much federal funding from outside sources, but if you don’t meet the requirements, funding can be withheld,” Fisher said.