City Council, Minneapolis meet to ban chokeholds by police

Minneapolis has announced plan to ban the use of chokeholds by police.

The move followed the agreement between the negotiators for the city of Minneapolis and the state.

It was also reported that police would have to report and intervene any time they see an unauthorized use of force by another officer.

The agreement which would be approved by the City Council is part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody.

According to the City Council, “The agreement will be enforceable in court. It would also require any officer, regardless of tenure or rank, to immediately report the use of any neck restraint or chokehold from the scene to their commander or their commander’s superiors.

“Similarly, any officer who sees another officer commit any unauthorized use of force, including any chokehold or neck restraint, must try to intervene verbally and even physically.

“If they don’t, they’d be subject to discipline as severe as if they themselves had used the prohibited force.”

The agreement also requires authorization from the police chief or a designated deputy chief to use crowd control weapons, including chemical agents, rubber bullets, flash-bangs, batons, and marking rounds. And it requires more timely decisions on disciplining officers.