CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -
19 Action News has learned Cleveland police have quietly made changes to their use of force policy, but the chief's office says this is not related to last fall's police chase.
In November, dozens of police cars chased a driver and his passenger and fired 137 shots--killing them both.
The chief's office says the recent changes to the use of force policy come out of recommendations from a consultant brought in last year long before the deadly chase.
Among the changes, a call to have "respect" for human life. Plus now, a call on officers to "de-escalate the use of force."
The policy also now says an officer's response should be judged strictly on what is "objectively reasonable based on...all facts known or reasonably perceived."
Yet ,the policy now includes a line outlining how "use of force decisions are dictated by the actions of the resistant or combative subject."
Officers in the chase have questioned why the driver wouldn't stop, and they've told investigators they had indications there was one or two guns in the car though no gun was found.
Police are phasing in the new policy as officers go through annual training.
The chase remains under investigation, and police say the use of force policy could be tweaked again after an internal review of the chase is finished.
The police union president says he's surprised by the changes.
According to Jeff Follmer, this is "all new" to him.
And he points out, in the past, the union has been sent draft copies of policy changes before they've been put into effect.
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Car in Cleveland Police chase, November 29, 2012
