Frequently Asked Questions

The Rockford Police Department has a full-time training division and certified training staff that provides training to all of our personnel throughout the entire year. Rockford Police Officers receive continuous training using examples of what constitutes reasonable force under varying circumstances.

The Rockford Police Department is a certified law enforcement agency and now holds an ILEAP (Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program) certification.

Accreditation is the ongoing process whereby agencies evaluate policy and procedure against established criteria and have compliance with those criteria verified by an independent and authoritative body. The independent and authoritative body for ILEAP is the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Council. The criteria, or standards, are policy development guidelines that represent a level of quality service delivery. The true indicator of compliance, however, lies with an evaluation by trained, independent professional peers. The establishment of meaningful and professional standards and an evaluation for compliance with those standards are the two fundamentals of an accreditation program. 

In November 2018, the Rockford Police Department adopted the Ten Shared Principles developed through collaboration between the NAACP and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. The Ten Shared Principles were created in 2018 and represent treating everyone with dignity and respect, rejecting discrimination, building trust and strong relationships within our communities, endorsing the values of community policing, and supporting diversity within our organizations.

Yes. The Rockford Police Department trainers teach de-escalation techniques and incorporate them into many of their training courses, including, arrests, use of force, and crisis intervention. The trainers provide scenario-based training where they evaluate an officer's ability to verbally de-escalate situations and provide immediate feedback and additional training when needed.

Yes. Officers are required to de-escalate when appropriate.

The Rockford Police Department prohibits the use of chokeholds, strangleholds, neck holds, sleeper holds, the carotid control technique and the lateral vascular neck restraint (LVNR). The Rockford Police Department prohibits the use of ANY technique where a person's breathing or blood flow is restricted in any way. Officers who use a prohibited technique will be subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

The Rockford Police Department prohibits the use of "hog-tying" or ANY restraint technique that places a person in any position which restricts or interferes with a person's breathing in any way. Officers who use a prohibited restraint technique will be subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

Yes. The Rockford Police Department requires officers to intervene in situations where other officers are subjecting a civilian to unreasonable force.

Officers who fail to follow this policy and intervene when required, will be subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

No. The Rockford Police Department does not use a use-of-force continuum. Rockford Police Officers are required to use reasonable force when any force is used to accomplish lawful objectives. Rockford Police Officers receive continuous training using examples of what constitutes reasonable force under varying circumstances. The Rockford Police Department demands all officers abide by the objectively reasonable force standard established by the United States Supreme Court in Graham v. Connor. Rockford Police Officers are required to de-escalate force to a lesser level when the lesser level of force becomes appropriate. Officers who use excessive or unreasonable force will be subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

GRAHAM V. CONNOR

The standard used to determine objectively reasonable force is articulated in the United States Supreme Court decision, Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989). The Graham decision holds that the reasonableness of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, without regard to the officer's underlying intent or motivation. The determination of reasonableness must be based on the totality of circumstances and must include a consideration that police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving. The determination of reasonableness is not based on the 20/20 vision of hindsight. Personnel is not required to use the least assertive option and shall consider the following criteria when determining which level of force to use: 1. The officer's legal justification for stopping the suspect; 2. The severity of the crime known to the officer at the time force was used; 3. Whether the subject was an immediate threat to the officers or others; 4. How the subject was actively resisting arrest; and 5. How the subject was attempting to evade arrest by flight.

No. Officers are always prohibited from using excessive or unreasonable force.

Officers who use excessive or unreasonable force will be subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

No, the law does not prohibit police officers from shooting at moving vehicles. Rockford Police Officers are required to use reasonable force when any force is used to accomplish lawful objectives.

The Rockford Police Department demands all officers abide by the objectively reasonable force standard established by the United States Supreme Court in Graham v. Connor.

Rockford Police Officers are required to de-escalate force to a lesser level when the lesser level of force becomes appropriate.

GRAHAM V. CONNOR

The standard used to determine objectively reasonable force is articulated in the United States Supreme Court decision, Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989). The Graham decision holds that the reasonableness of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, without regard to the officer's underlying intent or motivation. The determination of reasonableness must be based on the totality of circumstances and must include a consideration that police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving.

The determination of reasonableness is not based on the 20/20 vision of hindsight. Personnel is not required to use the least assertive option and shall consider the following criteria when determining which level of force to use: 

1. The officer's legal justification for stopping the suspect
2. The severity of the crime known to the officer at the time force was used
3. Whether the subject was an immediate threat to the officers or others
4. How the subject was actively resisting arrest; and 5. How the subject was attempting to evade arrest by flight.

No, the law does not require police officers to exhaust every possible option before using deadly force. Rockford Police Officers are required to use reasonable force when any force is used to accomplish lawful objectives. 

The Rockford Police Department demands all officers abide by the objectively reasonable force standard established by the United States Supreme Court in Graham v. Connor. 

Rockford Police Officers are required to de-escalate force to a lesser level when the lesser level of force becomes appropriate. 

Officers may only use deadly force when they reasonably believe that the action is in defense of human life, including the officer's own life, or in defense of any person in imminent danger of serious physical injury.

No, the law does not require police officers to give a verbal warning to civilians before drawing their firearm. Officers may draw their firearm and present deadly force when they reasonably believe that the action is necessary to defend human life, including the officer's own life, or in defense of any person in imminent danger of serious physical injury

No, the law does not require a verbal warning before shooting. Officers may use deadly force (shoot) when they reasonably believe that the action is in defense of human life, including the officer's own life, or in defense of any person in imminent danger of serious physical injury.

No, the law does not require police officers to exhaust all other means before using deadly force. Officers may only use deadly force when they reasonably believe that the action is in defense of human life, including the officer's own life, or in defense of any person in imminent danger of serious physical injury

Yes. Rockford Police Officers must report all uses of force against civilians.

Yes. Rockford Police Officers must report all uses of force against civilians, including the pointing of firearms. 

Yes. Rockford Police Officers must report all uses of force against civilians.

All uses of force are reviewed by a supervisor and the commander of the department's training division.

All officer uses of force are recorded and tracked with an early intervention system which helps identify officers who may have used unreasonable force.

Comprehensive reviews of any officer identified as exhibiting behaviors potentially requiring intervention are conducted.

Officers who are identified as being deficient with use of force techniques are required to attend additional training to correct all deficiencies.

Officers found to have engaged in any misconduct are subject to discipline and could face possible suspension from duty or termination from employment.

Yes. The Rockford Police Department does use body-worn cameras. We also use vehicle-mounted cameras (dash cameras) in our fleet of squad cars.

When transporting civilians who are under arrest, officers are required to do the following:

• Perform all transports with the safety of the civilian being of primary importance at all times
• Ensure all vehicles used to transport civilians are in safe operating condition
• Ensure civilians are seat-belted in accordance with applicable state law
• Ensure restraints do not aggravate or cause any injury or any undue pain or discomfort
• Be particularly mindful of and accommodating to civilians of advanced age, persons with a physical handicap, individuals who are sick or injured, or anyone with a disability

Yes. Officers are trained to provide medical aid and/or summon professional medical assistance as soon as practical for any subject with an apparent injury or any subject who complains of an injury after force has been used upon them.

Yes. The Rockford Police Department conducts an in-depth background investigation of all candidates, eligible to be hired, before offering them a position as a police officer.