Diversity and Use of Force Policies
Frequently Asked Questions
The police department has an authorized staff of 61 sworn officers. We have had an "Affirmative Action Recruiting Plan" in place since 1986. This policy has been continually updated every 3 years, with the most recent update being in January 2023. This policy purpose states in part:
"To establish a recruiting plan directed specifically to the hiring of minorities and women to represent an equitable distribution of the work force that is representative to the agency service area. The primary purpose of the recruiting plan is to provide a ratio of minority group employees in approximate proportion to the minority population in the Village, and to encourage the employment of women."
Each time the policy is updated, it reflects the minority breakdown of the Village population, based on the most recent census data. As such, our most recent stated goal is to have a minimum of the following minority representation as shown in the chart below, compared to the actual current employees.
The department also has a General Order titled "Equal Opportunity Employment Plan" which is part states:
"The Police Department is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees on the basis of merit, without regard to a person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical condition related to childbirth or pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin, order of protection status, ancestry, genetic information, mental or physical disability, citizenship status, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service, or on any other basis prohibited by law."
"To establish a recruiting plan directed specifically to the hiring of minorities and women to represent an equitable distribution of the work force that is representative to the agency service area. The primary purpose of the recruiting plan is to provide a ratio of minority group employees in approximate proportion to the minority population in the Village, and to encourage the employment of women."
Each time the policy is updated, it reflects the minority breakdown of the Village population, based on the most recent census data. As such, our most recent stated goal is to have a minimum of the following minority representation as shown in the chart below, compared to the actual current employees.
| Goal | Current | |
| Female | 10 | 10 |
| Asian | 2 | 2 |
| Hispanic | 2 | 5 |
| Black/ African American | 2 | 1 |
The department also has a General Order titled "Equal Opportunity Employment Plan" which is part states:
"The Police Department is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees on the basis of merit, without regard to a person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical condition related to childbirth or pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin, order of protection status, ancestry, genetic information, mental or physical disability, citizenship status, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service, or on any other basis prohibited by law."
As an accredited police agency we follow all applicable policy requirements as set forth by the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). One of those requirements is to have a policy on Biased Based Policing.
Our current policy, titled Discriminatory Enforcement Practices - Bias Based Policing is reviewed annually. As part of this policy, officers are required to complete a Racial Profiling Data Sheet on every vehicle and pedestrian stop conducted. That data is analyzed each year and reviewed for trends.
The most recent annual review of 2021 data shows that the estimated minority driving population in Buffalo Grove is 51.36%, and traffic stop data conducted by officers indicates that 41.70% of all stops involved minority drivers.
On January 14, 2021, our annual biased-based profiling review was conducted for 2020. The report revealed that for the 18th consecutive year, the department has not received any complaints of biased based profiling by our officers.
Our current policy, titled Discriminatory Enforcement Practices - Bias Based Policing is reviewed annually. As part of this policy, officers are required to complete a Racial Profiling Data Sheet on every vehicle and pedestrian stop conducted. That data is analyzed each year and reviewed for trends.
The most recent annual review of 2021 data shows that the estimated minority driving population in Buffalo Grove is 51.36%, and traffic stop data conducted by officers indicates that 41.70% of all stops involved minority drivers.
On January 14, 2021, our annual biased-based profiling review was conducted for 2020. The report revealed that for the 18th consecutive year, the department has not received any complaints of biased based profiling by our officers.
Officers receive the following training relative to the topic of diversity, de-escalation and use of force. This does not include academy training or FTO training.
All sworn officers have been trained in the 8 hour Mental Health First Aid course and all officers in the Patrol, Traffic, and Investigations units have been trained in the 40 hour Crisis Intervention training. We were recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2018 as one of the first departments in Illinois to meet all of the requirements of the One Mind Campaign.
| Training | Year Offered |
| Review of Biased Based Profiling Policy | Annual |
| Racial Profiling - Implicit Bias (Police Law Institute) | Annual |
| Policy Review - Use of Force | Annual |
| De-escalation Tactics | Annual |
| Annual Review of Less Lethal Alternatives | Annual |
| Ethics | Biennial |
| Hate Crimes | 2020 |
| Use of Force - Deadly Force - Qualified Immunity | 2020 |
| Review of Use of Force With a Firearm | 2019 |
| Racial Profiling - Implicit Bias and Cultural Competency | 2019 |
| De-Escalation - Crisis Intervention - Mental Health Awareness/Response | 2019 |
| Rights of Transgender Community | 2019 |
| Protecting 1st Amendment Rights of Citizens | 2019 |
| Judgmental Use of Force - Simulator | 2019 |
| Mental Health First Aid | 2018 |
| Hate Crimes - Understanding Threats | 2017 |
All sworn officers have been trained in the 8 hour Mental Health First Aid course and all officers in the Patrol, Traffic, and Investigations units have been trained in the 40 hour Crisis Intervention training. We were recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2018 as one of the first departments in Illinois to meet all of the requirements of the One Mind Campaign.
As with all of our policies, we review them on an regular basis and update them based on case law or new requirements from CALEA. Our Use of Force Policy defines a choke hold and also in part states:
Officers shall not use a choke hold in the performance of his or her duties, unless deadly force is justified.
An officer has a duty to intervene to prevent or stop the use of excessive force by another officer when it is safe and reasonable to do so. If an officer intervenes they shall promptly report the incident to a supervisor for documentation and investigative purposes.
Officers shall not use a choke hold in the performance of his or her duties, unless deadly force is justified.
An officer has a duty to intervene to prevent or stop the use of excessive force by another officer when it is safe and reasonable to do so. If an officer intervenes they shall promptly report the incident to a supervisor for documentation and investigative purposes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation developed a national use of force database to serve as a central repository for all law enforcement agencies in the country to report use of force by police officers. Prior to this, there were no means on a national level to record this information, similar to the manner in which we record and report our UCR (Uniform Crime Report) data to the FBI.
The national use of force database reporting is voluntary for police departments and currently less than 40% of agencies in the U.S. report this data. The Buffalo Grove Police Department has been reporting this data for over a year. The criteria states:
"The law enforcement community, in partnership with the FBI, is working to improve the way the nation collects, analyzes, and uses crime statistics about law enforcement's use of force. The collection and reporting of use-of-force data will include any use of force that results in the death or serious bodily injury of a person, as well as when a law enforcement officer discharges a firearm at or in the direction of a person."
Since we have started our voluntary reporting, we have not had a single use of force incident which meets the criteria as set forth by the FBI.
The national use of force database reporting is voluntary for police departments and currently less than 40% of agencies in the U.S. report this data. The Buffalo Grove Police Department has been reporting this data for over a year. The criteria states:
"The law enforcement community, in partnership with the FBI, is working to improve the way the nation collects, analyzes, and uses crime statistics about law enforcement's use of force. The collection and reporting of use-of-force data will include any use of force that results in the death or serious bodily injury of a person, as well as when a law enforcement officer discharges a firearm at or in the direction of a person."
Since we have started our voluntary reporting, we have not had a single use of force incident which meets the criteria as set forth by the FBI.
NAACP and IACP Ten Shared PrinciplesIn 2018 the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois NAACP partnered to create a document called the Ten Shared Principles. This document was signed by every member of the police department in December of 2018 and is framed on display in the main hallway of the department. The principles are as follows.
CALEA Accredited DepartmentThe Buffalo Grove Police Department has been an internationally accredited professional law enforcement agency since 1987. Four (4) percent of law enforcement agencies are accredited Nationwide through CALEA and five (5) percent are accredited in Illinois
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) was formed in 1979 to create a professional management model for police agencies. CALEA Accreditation programs provide public safety agencies with an opportunity to voluntarily meet an established set of professional standards which require:
CALEA Accredited DepartmentThe Buffalo Grove Police Department has been an internationally accredited professional law enforcement agency since 1987. Four (4) percent of law enforcement agencies are accredited Nationwide through CALEA and five (5) percent are accredited in Illinois
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) was formed in 1979 to create a professional management model for police agencies. CALEA Accreditation programs provide public safety agencies with an opportunity to voluntarily meet an established set of professional standards which require:
- Comprehensive and uniform written directives that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities
- Reports and analyses to make fact-based and informed management decisions
- Preparedness to address natural or man-made critical incidents
- Community relationship-building and maintenance
- Independent review by subject matter experts
- Continuous pursuit of excellence through annual reviews and other assessment measures.
