ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando's police chief has issued a new directive to his officers: use "only the minimal amount of force necessary."
Chief John Mina told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday that he's also told officers to step in if they see other officers using too much force. They've been told to stop the excessive force, then report it. The department has been the subject of police brutality lawsuits and criticism.
In a directive to the department, Mina said officers "have an obligation to protect the public and other officers."
The Sentinel reported in November that Orlando police officers used force on 3,100 people, causing 1,900 injuries, between Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2014.