Denver police is banning the use of chokeholds as part of a series of policy changes in the wake of 11 days of protests in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
Effective Sunday, cops in Denver will no longer be allowed to use chokeholds or utilize carotid compression techniques in any capacity. Officers will also have to report to a supervisor any time they intentionally point a firearm at someone while on the job, department officials said.
In a third step aimed at improving public accountability, SWAT officers will also be mandated to activate their body-worn cameras while performing tactical operations.
The changes to existing use-of-force and body-worn camera policies were made as an attempt to “maintain the highest level of public accountability,” Denver police announced.
“We will continue to evaluate our policies with community input and make improvements as needed in the interest of public and officer safety,” Police Chief Paul Pazen said in a statement.
The policy shifts came amid 11 consecutive days of protests in Denver in the aftermath of Floyd’s police-involved death in Minneapolis last month, the Denver Post reported.
Elisabeth Epps, who resigned from the Denver Police Department’s use-of-force advisory board after cops used tear gas on protesters, said the board had previously requested the changes.
“This shows me that a week of protest did more than 18 months of conversation,” Epps told the newspaper. “These things are the lowest hanging fruit. It doesn’t demonstrate a commitment to real change … It is not radical to ban a chokehold.”
Minneapolis, meanwhile, agreed Friday to ban chokeholds by police in the wake of Floyd’s death, as well as to require cops to make an attempt to stop other officers using improper force.