Cambridge Police Must Intervene If They See 'Unreasonable Force'

CAMBRIDGE, MA — Cambridge police officers have a duty to intervene when another police officer is using excessive force, according to a new order the police commissioner issued Monday.

"All sworn members of the Cambridge Police Department present at any scene where physical force is being applied, [must] either stop, or attempt to stop, another member of the Department when force is being unreasonably applied or is no longer required," reads the order, effective immediately, according to Police Commissioner Branville Bard, Jr.

Up until now, an officer was required to report any use of force violations to their superior officer under the Cambridge police use of force policy and departmental rules. The new order still requires officers notify their supervisor, but it also now mandates officers take immediate action.

The revision comes in the wake of the death of George Floyd recently after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. The death of Floyd sparked demonstrations across the country, including in the area where several rallies across Greater Boston have brought out as many as 20,000 people. The rallies have put a spotlight on police department culture, and called on municipalities to "defund" the police, or redistribute funding for police departments so more money is going toward helping communities of color.

Bard said the order came about after some self-reflection in the department.

"Over the last two weeks, we have closely scrutinized our policies and procedures in light of the various reform measures that are being proposed around the country such as those outlined in the 8 Can’t Wait project," said Bard in a statement. "While we feel that most, if not all, of our policies directly align with the spirit of what is being asked for in the recommendations, an area where we felt we could be more explicit was the duty to intervene and stop excessive force by other officers.”

According to the order if an officer sees behavior that suggests another member of the department is about to conduct unethical or inappropriate behavior, the order requires officers, "whenever possible," to intervene verbally or physically. It also requires that if an officer sees such behavior committed by another member, to verbally or physically intervene to stop it.

“We continually examine our policies to ensure that they meet the state’s requirements, conform to the very best practices in policing, and prioritize the sanctity of human life,” said Bard.

The order gives an example of one way to follow the order if, say, one officer sees a fellow officer hit someone without any reason.

"If appropriate, you could tell the officer to ‘cool it’ or that you’ll take over the matter and have them step aside," it says. "If necessary, step in between the officer and the individual or hold the officer back in order to stop him/her from inflicting more unreasonable force."

Read the Duty to Intervene order: