Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) submitted a public comment to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) on proposed revisions to the Model Use of Force Policy. LCR urges POST to strengthen the policy by addressing two issues that shape real-world encounters: mental health crises and implicit bias.
LCR argues the draft should provide more concrete guidance on how mental illness can influence behavior and be misinterpreted as defiance or aggression, including a standalone mental-health section and stronger direction on crisis intervention and annual training.
LCR also calls for a dedicated implicit-bias section explaining how high-stress, “split-second” situations can intensify reliance on stereotypes, and recommending required bias training.
LCR’s letter is available here: