GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Grand Rapids Police Department has rolled out a new policy for its officers’ interactions with children.
The policy released Monday is an updated version of one released in March. GRPD said it was revised after getting input from community members.
Among the additions are specific definitions for youths and juveniles; more specific guidelines for handcuffing youths and putting them in cruisers; and new guidelines for when arrests should be made. The policy also instructs officers to document anytime a child is handcuffed and alert a supervisor.
In both policies, officers were instructed to use the “most reasonable, and least restrictive” methods when dealing with children.
>>PDF: March policy | December policy
The Youth Interaction Policy was initially created in response to public outrage after 11-year-old Honestie Hodges was handcuffed and placed in the back of a cruiser while police were looking for an attempted murder suspect.
GRPD said it’s training officers on laws and decision-making regarding youths and using new training videos involving youth interactions.