CHICAGO—Moving to get past a scandal over a black teenager who was shot 16 times by a police officer, the Chicago police department is preparing a new policy on use of force that prioritizes the sanctity of life.

A draft of the department’s new use of force guidelines, first published in October, has been made available to the public for a nearly two-month-long review period, ending Monday. About 400 public comments have been received so far in this first-of-its-kind effort by the Chicago police to glean public feedback on...