Phoenix police must now document each time they point their gun at someone

Phoenix police officers are now required to document every time they point a gun at an individual.

Phoenix police Chief Jeri Williams said at a news conference Monday that the move came after months of deliberation and findings from a review conducted by the National Police Foundation (NPF) recommended the policy, according to CNN.

{mosads}”When a gun is pointed at someone, that’s a traumatic event,” Williams said. “I think this is a first step in being … that accountable, transparent organization that is willing to share what we do and how we do it.”

Phoenix police officers must now fill out a form when an officer points a gun, and each incident will be reviewed by a supervisor.

The NPF in April made the recommendation after Phoenix policy saw a sharp increase in officer-involved shootings, with 44 reported in 2018 compared to a yearly average of 21 from 2009 to 2017.

The 44 police shootings last year were the most in the country, according to The Washington Post.

Phoenix’s decision follows that of other cities that have enacted similar requirements, including Dallas, Baltimore, Cleveland, New Orleans and Chicago.

Additionally, all Phoenix police officers will now be required to wear body cameras.

Phoenix police faced increased scrutiny when an officer in May pulled a gun on a family outside a dollar store during a shoplifting investigation. Video of the incident made national headlines.

The decision to implement the new policy was not directly linked to the previous incident.