The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) announced today that it has posted some of the most requested departmental policies to its website as part of an effort to be more transparent and build trust with the public.

The roughly 35 policies from the LBPD manual include codes for everything from use of force, to body worn cameras and use of chemical agents.

Officials said the online move is in accordance with recommendations contained in the final report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing created in 2015 under the Obama Administration.

“The action embodies two of the six pillars addressed by the Task Force and is implemented with an eye toward further embracing a culture of transparency within the Department,” officials stated. “The L.B.P.D. appreciates and supports accountability and this additional measure of transparency is geared toward building enhanced trust with the public and assuring our communities that their police department is operating as it should.”

Being able to access the policies online will also eliminate the need for community members to submit California Public Records Act requests, thereby increasing department efficiency, officials stated.

More policies may be added to the website in the future based on needs, according to officials.

The policies may be found on the LBPD website under the “About the LBPD” tab. To go directly to the policies and procedures page, click here.

Above, left photo by Stephanie Rivera.