In February, 32-year-old Da’Quain Johnson was pursued by Grand Rapids Police Department officers and a canine when he was shot and killed. As a follow up to the officer-involved shooting, Grand Rapids Commissioners are asking the police department for a use of K-9 policy review.
City Manager Mark Washington: “I did ask that the Office of Public Accountability take the lead on that effort with input from the police department in identifying model agencies in relevant comparison points.”
The city’s Office of Oversight and Public Accountability has been conducting a review of GRPD’s K-9 program’s policies.
“I asked them to help us understand the practices of other jurisdictions and see where we might have an opportunity to improve our policies.”
Managing Director of the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability Brandon Davis says that report will be ready in June.
“We’re not looking at individual incidents over a certain period of time. We’re specifically looking at policy, comparing it to best practices in policy.”
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker determined the use of force during Johnson’s arrest was justified. There have been 12 officer-involved shootings in Grand Rapids in the past four years.
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