In part three of “Taking Cover,” we explored the use of force policies guiding police shootings in suburbs throughout Cook County. Franklin Park’s policy says officers shouldn’t shoot at cars or in the directions of other officers.
“both those policies were ignored the night of Jan. 11, 2010 when Sgt. Fred Dede’s finger was blown off in blaze of police gunfire intended to stop a mentally ill former music teacher from using his car as a weapon,” according to our story.
Our investigation also found that the questionable shootings include at least 20 in which officers fired at moving cars, 30 where suspects were not armed and a half-dozen where police either shot each other or innocent bystanders.