Thunder Bay police release use of force figures for 2015

Superior Morning5:03Police - Communications

Thunder Bay Police release their "use of force" statistics for 2015. and their number one tool of choice last year? Tactical communications. Sgt Rino Belcamino is the tactical commander.

Thunder Bay police have released statistics showing that in 2015 officers had 43,153 interactions with the public, and filed 98 use of force reports.

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During the police services board meeting Tuesday, tactical commander Sgt. Rino Belcamino explained that use of force covers a variety of options including firearms, impact weapons such as batons, fists (open and closed), pepper spray, and conducted energy weapons often referred to by the trademark name TASER.

However, the first choice in most use of force situations in 2015 was tactical communications, or using verbal commands to calm down an agitated person, said Belcamino.

"You're trying to allow the person to basically vent their frustations, or whatever they're experiencing that day. We're trying to de-escalate and we want them to listen to our commands, " he said.

The decision to try talking first is one that pleases Thunder Bay police chief J.P. Levesque.

"That's the way it should be, that communication should be there first and foremost, and then the other use of force options are used at that time, so if you can get somebody to drop a weapon or listen to your commands to kneel down and put their hands over their head, things of that nature, it's a bonus," he said.

But, there are some instances where tactical communications are not always the best option, said Belcamino, who is also the chief use of force instructor.

Every use of force incident is unique to the officer, and individual(s) involved, Belcamino said. 

Use of force reporting is valuable training tool

"Sometimes in order for a tactical advantage, an officer may not want to give away their position, so by them talking they may give away their position, which may force them to actually increase their use of force, whereas I won't say I'm here and the next thing you know I have the guy in custody," said Belcamino.

Conducted energy weapons were used six times in 2015, he said, adding firearms were discharged 34 times, but only to deal with animals such as bears and deer. Police have not fired on a civilian in a decade. 

Gathering statistics on use of force incidents is a valuable training tool since it allows each case to be reviewed, and a decision made on whether or not the force was appropriate. Belcamino said.

"'This is what happened, did I make the right decision?-Sgt. Rino Belcamino

As an example, "maybe half of them were inappropriate so that would require us in the training branch to start thinking about how can we emphasize this in training, and say maybe you want to think about something else," said Belcamino.

Taking a second look at each incident is also helpful at determining whether an officer may need further support, he said.

"Maybe it was a serious call, that a victim was seriously hurt that may have an impact on the officer that we can forward them to a mental health professional. A lot of times it was simply an individual sitting down with another instructor saying 'this is what happened, did I make the right decision?'", said Belcamino.

Thunder Bay police filed 130 use of force reports in 2014.