The South Bend Police Department (abbreviated to SBPD) is a local

law enforcement agency A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...

in the City of

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

. The department states on its website that it “works to safeguard the lives and property of the people we serve.”

History

The South Bend Police Department was founded in 1831 and originally had two constables. The department officially became known as the South Bend Police Department in 1903. In 1910, the department introduced motorized patrol vehicles to officers. 1914 was the first year women were instated; this paved the way for the diversity that the department still strives for today. In the 1960s and 1970s, the department saw major growth and expansion. 1961, South Bend recruited K-9 units for the first time. 1974 saw the edition of body armor for all officers. And in 1990, the department began patrols on bicycles in an effort to bring down gasoline expenditures due to the ongoing 1990 oil price shock.

2015-2019

In the city sought a new Chief of Police. Scott Ruszkowski was appointed and confirmed for this position in 2015 and has been on the force since 1988. In 2018, under the administration of Pete Buttigieg, body cameras became standard for all on duty-officers.

Shooting of Eric Logan

2019 saw major changes to the department’s use-of-force policy. On June 16, 2019, a uniformed officer was responding to reports of a man breaking into cars. When the officer arrived at the scene, he reported that the suspect was wielding a knife. The suspect (Eric Logan, a black man) was fatally shot. The officer, Ryan O'Neill, did not have his

body camera A body camera, bodycam, body worn video (BWV), body-worn camera, or wearable camera is a wearable audio, video, or photographic recording system. Body cameras have a range of uses and designs, of which the best-known use is as a part of poli ...

on at the time. Many locals believed the use of deadly force was unnecessary, and O’Neill was terminated and prosecuted for charges including soliciting a prostitute while on-duty. While the incident was not nationally broadcast, it sparked a larger

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...

movement locally. Several non-violent protests followed the shooting, including one on the lawn of the police station on Sample Street.

2020-present

In 2020, amidst the

George Floyd protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and civil unrest against police brutality and racism that began in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020, and largely took place during 2020. The civil unrest and protests began as part of internati ...

, The South Bend Common Council introduced legislation to combat

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...

. This included adopting a new officer discipline matrix and establishing better mental health support and evaluations for officers who undergo especially difficult situations while on duty. These bills were then signed into law by

incumbent The incumbent is the current holder of an official, office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seek ...

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

James Mueller.

References

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Law enforcement in Indiana South Bend, Indiana 1831 establishments in Indiana Police brutality in the United States