SAN DIEGO POLICE AND SHERIFF TO END USE OF CONTROVERSIAL CAROTID CHOKEHOLD
Update: 6/3/20 San Diego County Sheriffs Department joins a number of local law enforcement agencies to ban the carotid chokehold
Update: 6/5/20 La Mesa Police also announced a halt to carotid restraints.
By Miriam Raftery
June 2, 2020 (San Diego) – In the wake of protests over excessive police use of force that have rocked the nation in recent days, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit (photo, left by Ron Logan) announced yesterday that his department will stop the use of the carotid restraints procedure.
The protests came in response to the death of George Floyd, shown on video being killed by a Minnesota police officer who kept a knee on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. The officer has been fired and now faces a murder charge. However, Minneapolis police have caused people to become unconscious 44 times since 2015 with neck restraints, NBC has reported.
SDPD has faced complaints in the past over its use of chokehold tactics.
“It’s the right thing to do for the community and it’s the right thing to do for our officers,” Nisliet said of eliminating carotid restraints, adding that he will direct officers in a memo today to stop use of the method.
But ECM news partner 10 News reporters that Sheriff Bill Gore told the station his department will continue to allow the carotid restraint.