Chokeholds by police officers will no longer be allowed unless “an officer’s life is at risk,” President Donald Trump declared.
While making remarks in the Rose Garden on Tuesday on an executive order on policing reforms, the president made his declaration regarding chokeholds.
“As part of this new credentialing process, chokeholds will be banned — except if an officer’s life is at risk,” Trump said.
The president added that he spoke with people from various departments who came to the same conclusion that “it is time” for this change. His executive order will create a new credentialing process for law enforcement departments.
Watch the video below:
"As part of this new credentialing process, chokeholds will be banned – except if an officer’s life is at risk,” Pres. Trump said Tuesday in announcing an executive order on policing reforms https://t.co/F4qtB2GBbR pic.twitter.com/xeiaAuv9ZJ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 16, 2020
Trump met ahead of the event in private with families of suspects killed by police; he surrounds himself with law enforcement officers and union members as he signs executive order in Rose Garden. pic.twitter.com/XbiCcJQ1vd
— David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) June 16, 2020
Trump’s executive order comes just over three weeks after George Floyd’s, an unarmed black American, death.
Floyd’s death went viral on video footage showing a now-former Minneapolis police officer pinning his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes. He died in police custody.
Since Floyd’s death, protests have sparked all across the country demanding justice for Floyd and others, as well as police reform.
Congress is working on legislation for police reform, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday evening referred to a chokehold as a “lynching,” as IJR reported.