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DATE: MARCH 17, 2026
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ACTING POLICE CHIEF
JAMES REIFSCHNEIDER
SUBJECT: USE OF FORCE SUPPLEMENT TO IPA REPORT
Th
is memorandum responds to the City Council’s November 2020 direction to provide use of force summary data (which encompasses all use of force incidents in which a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” has been completed by the Police Department) as an attachment to each Independent Police Auditor (IPA) report. Policy Manual §300 (“Use of Force”) requires that all uses of force by Police Department members “be documented promptly, completely, and accurately in an appropriate report.”1 The policy also requires that, under certain circumstances, a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” also be completed by the supervisor, and routed for approval through the chain of command up to and including the Police Chief. Most commonly, a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” is completed after an officer uses some form of force that results in a visible or apparent physical injury to a subject or the subject complains of pain or alleges they were injured.
Co
nsistent with the IPA’s expanded scope of administrative review established by the City Council in November 2020, the Department forwards the following types of use of force cases to the IPA for review and recommendations: all cases where a subject’s injuries necessitate any treatment beyond minor medical treatment in the field, and all cases where an officer uses a baton, chemical agent, TASER, less lethal projectile, canine, or firearm. The IPA’s scope of administrative review was further-expanded in July 2021 to include cases when a firearm is pointed at a subject.
Co
nsistent with the practice established in the May 2023 iteration of this memorandum, the Department is choosing to release the race of the recipient(s) of any force used.
Th
is summary covers the period of June 1, 2025 thru November 30, 2025.
Use
of Force Cases
Fr
om June 1, 2025 thru November 30, 2025, the Police Department responded to approximately 23,000 calls for service and effected nearly 900 arrests. During that time, there were 8 cases where 1 The Palo Alto Police Department Policy Manual is updated quarterly and posted online at https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/Police/Public-Information-Portal/Police-Policy-Manual
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force requiring a “Supervisor’s Report on Use of Force” was used, 2 of which fell within the IPA’s scope of administrative review. The IPA’s review of 1 of these cases appears in the current IPA report; the other will appear in a future IPA report.
T
he current IPA report, covering administrative investigations completed as of November 30, 2025, includes a review of 5 use of force incidents, 4 of which occurred prior to June 1, 2025. In their review of these incidents, the IPA concurred with the Department’s finding that the force employed was justified by the circumstances and consistent with policy. The race of the subject upon whom force was used was Hispanic (2), Black (2), and White (1).
June 202
5 thru November 2025 Use of Force Summary
Ty
pe of Force Number of Cases Status of IPA Review
P
hysical Strength 8 1 completed; 1 pending review; 6 outside scope Chemical Agent 0
TASER 0
Baton 0
Less-Lethal Projectile 0
Canine 0
Firearm 0
Firearm Pointed at Person Cases
F
rom June 1, 2025 thru November 30, 2025, officers pointed a firearm at a person on 9 occasions. Three of these cases appear in the current IPA report; the remaining 6 will appear in a future IPA report.
T
he current IPA report includes a review of 4 total incidents during which officers pointed a firearm at a person, each of which occurred between February, 24, 2025 and August 27, 2025. In their review of these 4 incidents, the IPA concurred in each case with the Department’s finding that the pointing of the firearm was justified by the circumstances and consistent with policy. In the 4 incidents described in the current IPA report, the races of the subjects at whom a firearm was pointed was White (1), Asian (1), Hispanic (2), and Unknown (1).