The POST Commission (POST) appreciates all the agencies who have submitted their Self-Assessments regarding consistency with the Model Use of Force Policy (Model Policy) before the September 30th deadline.
POST and the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) are also now pleased to announce that the POST/MPTC Model Use of Force Reporting Form (Model Form) has been approved and is now available on our respective websites in two formats: Model Form (PDF) or Model Form (Word).
Guidance on the Model Form:
Pursuant to 555 CMR 6.07(1), “Law enforcement agencies shall develop and implement a policy and procedure for reporting the use of force. Such policy shall … include the use of a standard use of force reporting form as approved by the Committee and the Commission which shall be completed by any officer who uses force.”
Similar to the guidance that POST sent to agencies regarding the Model Policy, the Model Form is the “floor.” The Model Policy defines “Use of Force Reporting Form” as a form that has been approved by the Commission and the MPTC or a form approved by the Chief Executive Officer that collects at a minimum the information collected on the form approved by the Commission and the MPTC. As such, at a minimum, an agency’s use of force form must collect the information on the Model Form. An agency’s form may, however, collect more information than the Model Form. Agencies are not required to follow the order or format of the Model Form, as long as they are collecting all the information included.
Although agencies were required to submit the Self-Assessment regarding consistency with the Model Policy by September 30th, POST is not requiring agencies to submit a self-assessment about compliance with the Model Form at this time. Agencies must, however, ensure that their use of force forms are consistent with the Model Form by November 30, 2026, and be prepared to submit their use of force form to POST after that date, if requested.
Finally, POST is working on an enhanced method for agencies to submit types of use of force reports that are required by the Model Policy to POST’s Standards Division via the LEA Portal. POST will provide further guidance on that in the coming weeks. In the meantime, agencies should continue to report required information to POST as they have been.
If you have any questions about the Model Form or the Model Policy, please contact [email protected].