Edmonton police use of force rose in 2021 but EPS cites policy, protocol changes


Staff Sgt. David DeMarco said a new policy and training program was approved in early 2021 and stresses what he termed “ethical evaluation of identified critical operational risks.”

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Edmonton police officers used force nearly 18.9 per cent more frequently in 2021 compared to 2020 but EPS cautions new policy and protocols play a part in that increase.

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The figures were included in the semi-annual report made to the Edmonton Police Commission on Thursday.

They show that officers used force 3,179 times in 2021, up from 2,674 in 2020 and from 2,411 in 2019.

Staff Sgt. David DeMarco said a new policy and training program was approved in early 2021 and stresses what he termed “ethical evaluation of identified critical operational risks.”

“The core evaluation initiative and subsequent training to ensure accountability and match performance is likely a driving factor in the increase of control tactics, reports and events,” DeMarco said.

EPS divides its officers’ use of force into two categories.

Category one events include reportable actions that don’t result in a physical use of force, but could involve an officer anticipating the need to use force and drawing his or her firearm.

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“It is anticipating that there may be a potential for conflict but resolved in lesser means.”

Category two reviews involve incidents where a higher level of physical force was used.

The data shows category one incidents grew by 28.7 per cent in 2021 over the prior year with category two incidents up by 3.5 per cent over the same time frame.

As a proportion of all incidents, the amount that were category two fell by 13 per cent over the past 12-month period.

The number of times officers drew their weapons to a “low and ready” position, without pointing it directly at an individual, also grew, up by 34 per cent.

But DeMarco points to the much smaller increase of category two incidents as proof the new training is taking effect.

“So although we’ve seen a significant increase in the drawn display of a firearm … it’s positive in that the after action of that was handled at a lesser means.”

Control tactical reports also saw an increase, with 27 per cent more reports being filed than the previous year with 5,772 in 2021 compared to 4,546 in 2020 and just over 4,000 in 2019.

Just over 35 per cent of all control tactics incidents were classified as being in category two.


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