City Council Considering Banning Police Chokeholds

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 8, 2014 8:30PM

This chokehold by New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo on Eric Garner was banned by the NYPD since 1993. Chokeholds are not allowed by Chicago Police Department but they aren't banned, either.

An ordinance to ban Chicago Police and security officers from using chokeholds was introduced in the City Council Finance Committee meeting Monday. Is this a case of aldermen reacting to the nationwide protests of the death of Eric Garner or are they grandstanding yet again on another hot button news item?

It could be a little of both. Although CPD policy doesn’t expressly mention chokeholds by name, they and other methods of subduing a suspect that reduces their ability to breathe such as sitting, kneeling or standing on their chest have been effectively banned since May 2012 and are not taught at the police academy. Still, it’s better to spell it out directly than allow for semantics to exist, right, Ed Burke?

"It is our intention to forbid the use of chokeholds by peace officers and security personnel in order to avoid a similar tragic death in Chicago," Burke said. "We must take every step to safeguard the health and well-being of a suspect while effecting an arrest or overcoming resistance."

Burke, a former cop, is one of the lead sponsors of the ordinance but he isn’t the only prominent alderman to speak out in support of an outright chokehold ban. Ald. Carrie Austin said, "I believe (the proposed ordinance) puts our police officers and any other law enforcement on notice that this is a tactic that will not be accepted in our city.”

While chokeholds and the like are taboo at CPD police have other suppression methods at their disposal including using wristlocks, pressure points, pepper spray, batons, canine units and Tasers. (It’s worth noting Tasers have been documented in several documented instances of police-related deaths in recent years.)

Fraternal Order of Police spokesman and former CPD spokesman Pat Camden said although chokeholds are no longer officially used and taught, "if it is used, I am sure you have better be justified."