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Body cameras, Tasers: What Cambridge police will do after fatal shooting of Sayed Faisal
An external review organization commended Cambridge police's changes so far and recommended de-escalation policies.
An independent review into the Cambridge Police Department following the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old during an apparent mental health crisis last year showed “strong” policies that could be strengthened.
A Cambridge police officer shot and killed Sayed Faisal, in January, 2023 after a 10-minute foot chase. The 20-year-old was reportedly holding a foot-long knife and hurting himself during the chase. Officer Liam McMahon, who shot Faisal six times, was found not criminally responsible for his death last fall.
The Police Executive Research Forum, or PERF, is a national research organization focused on policing. Its report said some Cambridge police’s policies have already been successful in reducing instances for uses of force.
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“The last officer-involved critical incident in Cambridge took place more than 20 years before this one,” PERF’s analysis said. “For a city the size of Cambridge, the lack of critical incidents is unusual, commendable, and evidence of its police department’s commitment to resolving incidents without force whenever possible.”
PERF’s Recommendations
McMahon was not wearing a body camera, which PERF said “leaves an unfortunate void.” Since the shooting, Cambridge will be moving forward with a body camera policy.
Cambridge will also be implementing a policy to release an officer’s name after critical incidents. Cambridge didn’t release McMahon’s name after the incident last year, but PERF recommended that Cambridge develop a first-in-the-state policy.
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“Faisal’s death was tragic for his family, our community, and our police department,” Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow said in a statement. “It is our primary goal to continuously learn and grow. There are always lessons to be learned.”
PERF recommended to Cambridge police to tighten up some language in their de-escalation policy and to include a sanctity of life statement when using force.
”That statement should set the tone for the entirety of the policy that follows,” PERF’s report said.
PERF also told Cambridge to consider more types of non-lethal weapons. Before Faisal was shot and killed, police struck him with a 40-millimeter projectile launcher, which did not appear to stop or hurt him. It appeared that officers didn’t have a back-up plan, PERF wrote.
PERF said the department should consider adding shields and a gel-based pepper spray, but community input should be considered before adding electronic control weapons, like Tasers.
“We cannot ignore the fact that nearly every officer we interviewed, regardless of rank, expressed concern that Cambridge does not allow its officers to carry Electronic Control Weapons,” PERF wrote. “Most believe this gap in non-lethal force options essentially leaves officers with limited choices when confronting a threat from a person armed with a sharp-edged weapon, like Mr. Faisal.”
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Additionally, PERF said the department needs a dedicated training space and should reinstate in-person training.
The report also said McMahon, when interviewed after the shooting, justified the shooting by saying he was trained with the 21-foot rule — an outdated rule around handling people with knives or sharp-edged weapons.
“McMahon did not shoot until Mr. Faisal was closer to him than 21-feet, but his reference to the 21-foot rule and that it was a part of his training is concerning,” PERF wrote. While the rule isn’t referenced in Cambridge’s training materials, they reiterated that CPD should not teach the 21-foot rule.
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