South Bend Mayor James Mueller talks use of force policy with faith leaders

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- South Bend Mayor James Mueller sat down with leaders from the non-profit "Faith in Indiana" to talk about South Bend Police's new use of force policy on Friday. The updated policy was approved on Wednesday. 

"We were able to go in to a little more detail about what we were thinking about those issues," said Mueller.

A major concern for those faith leaders the use of the term "eminent danger" referring to when officers should use deadly force, but some say is too broadly defined. 

"We can just say 'eminent danger' because everything can be considered “'eminent danger,'" said Reverend Terri Bays of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. "We need to have more of a definition there."

Some say getting this policy right is critical to restoring trust between South Bend Police and the community. 

"Too much is going on, too much hurt, too much harm, too much death," said Reverend Gilbert Washington of St. Paul Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. "South Bend is better than this."

Mayor Mueller has two months to suggest any changes to the policy. He says he plans on his office having frequent meetings with community members in that time frame.