The Chicago Police Department has put its use of force rulebook on public display, posting draft revisions to its De-escalation, Response to Resistance, and Use-of-Force directives and asking Chicagoans to weigh in before the comment period closes on July 31, 2026. The package pulls together the orders that spell out when officers may draw or use force, how those moments are documented, and which situations trigger tactical reviews and administrative steps. In plain terms, residents have a limited window to react to language that will guide everyday street encounters across the city.
What the department posted
According to the Chicago Police Department's post on X, CPD has released a draft PDF of its "Use of Force" suite and opened a public comment window running through July 31, 2026. The drafts on the table include G03-02 (De-escalation, Response to Resistance, and Use of Force), G03-02-01 (Response to Resistance and Force Options), G03-02-02 (Incidents Requiring the Completion of a Tactical Response Report) and G03-02-03 (Firearm Discharge Incidents - Authorized Use and Post-Discharge Procedures).
Where to read the drafts
The public posting covers the core directives and supporting operational orders that deal with force options, reporting forms, and what happens after an incident. The drafts and the department's draft PDF are available through the CPD policy-review portal, where readers can download the full text and find instructions on how to submit comments. Once finalized, the directives would apply across the department and set the rules officers follow during critical encounters.
Why this matters now
The timing is not accidental. Oversight bodies and reform advocates have highlighted an uptick in reported use-of-force incidents and firearm-pointing episodes in recent years. WTTW has reported rising totals and increases in firearm-pointing incidents that the Community Commission has pressed CPD leadership to explain. Civil-rights coalitions and watchdog groups have previously hammered earlier drafts and pushed for clearer, stronger language around de-escalation, reporting, and peer intervention.
How to read and comment
Residents, advocates, and practitioners can download the posted drafts and the department’s draft PDF from CPD’s policy-review portal, then submit written comments while the review window stays open. The department says it will review feedback received during the comment period to shape future revisions, and that public input will become part of the record considered as the suite is refined.
What advocates say to look for
Community groups and legal advocates say readers should home in on whether the directives require de-escalation when feasible, spell out a clear duty to intervene, tighten reporting and transparency rules, and limit when officers may draw or point firearms or use less-lethal tools. The Police Accountability Collaborative and allied organizations have previously urged CPD to restore or strengthen requirements for medical aid, peer-intervention reporting, and public reporting of use-of-force data during past comment cycles.
Legal and oversight implications
All of this plays out against a backdrop of court-ordered reform and continuing scrutiny of CPD’s use-of-force practices. Ongoing reform progress reports and oversight mechanisms mean the draft language and public comment record will be examined by monitors and city oversight bodies as they assess whether revisions meet legal obligations and reform benchmarks.
For now, this posting stands as one of the clearest chances in the current cycle for residents, advocates, and practitioners to weigh in on the rules that govern police encounters. If you have lived experience, professional expertise, or simply a perspective to share, the department’s comment window is open through July 31, 2026.
