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NYPD Will Narrow Definition of Chokehold

The New York Police Department will adopt language from a City Council bill aimed at criminalizing police use of the maneuver. The department, however, is still opposed to the actual bill.

The New York Police Department is poised to narrow its definition of a chokehold, adopting language from a City Council bill aimed at criminalizing police use of the maneuver.

 

The department, however, has not dropped its opposition to the bill; in fact, it intends to provide exemptions from what had been a blanket prohibition on the use of chokeholds by officers, in place since 1993.

The changes — under discussion since last year, when a police chokehold led to the death of Eric Garner — were announced by Commissioner William J. Bratton at a nearly three-hour City Council hearing on Monday.

For Mr. Bratton, it was his first trip before the Council since last week’s surprise budget agreement adding nearly 1,300 new police officers. Council members had pushed to give him 1,000 new officers for more than a year, and Mayor Bill de Blasio appeared resistant to any increase until the deal was announced.

 

Daniel Luzer is GOVERNING's news editor.
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