Minneapolis Use-of-Force Numbers Increase Because of Handcuff Policy Change

Minneapolis police must now count handcuffing a person and drawing their duty pistols as an official use of force as part of the ongoing reform efforts within the department.

The number of arrests in Minneapolis has fallen to its lowest level in four years as the city's police department's use-of-force numbers climb after city officials changed the reporting requirements, Center Square reports.

The increase in use-of-force reports coincides with reporting changes, Minneapolis Police Department Public Information Officer Garrett Parten said.

"Handcuffing is now required to be reported as a use-of-force, so that has increased astronomically," he said.

The new policy added new categories for reporting certain holds, joint manipulations, nerve pressure points (touch pressure), handcuffing, unholstering/display of a weapon, verbal threats to use less-lethal weapons, less-lethal weapon pointing, verbal threats to use deadly force and firearm pointing, according to the policy.