George Floyd Not The First Victim of Minneapolis Police Neck Restraint Practice

WHAT’S BEING CLAIMED:

• Minneapolis Police Department has used neck restraints 237 times since 2015 and 44 of them lost consciousness and got hurt.
• Of the 44 who lost consciousness while under neck restraints, 60% are Black and about 40% are White.
• The Minneapolis Police Department still has to comment on this data but an online version of their policy manual permits neck restraints when a person shows “active resistance” and exhibits “aggressive active behavior”.  

Despite other cops across the United States not using neck restraints for its “inherent life-threatening potential”, Minneapolis police has in the last five years had 44 people lose consciousness while restrained by the neck.

Of the 44 who lost consciousness, 60% were black and about 40% were white.

Citing use-of-force records, NBC News reports that the Minneapolis Police Department has at least used neck restraints 237 times since 2015.

Plumas County Deputy Sheriff Ed Obayashi said that it is common sense that when you cut off someone’s airway, it can lead to serious injury or death.

“It’s common sense,” Plumas County Deputy Sheriff Ed Obayashi said. “Any time you cut off someone’s airway or block blood flow to the brain, it can lead to serious injury or death as we have seen in so many of these tragedies. By using this tactic, it’s a self-fulfilling tragedy.”

According to law enforcement experts and NBC News, this is generally high for a city like Minneapolis with 400,000 plus residents.  Although a comparison with other municipalities is difficult as there is a lack of use-of-force data for the public.

Of the 44 cases, the reason for putting a person under neck restraint is when they react while being arrested or fled on foot. Others were allegations of assault or domestic abuse while five suspects assaulted officers. The majority were not connected to violent cases.

Minneapolis Police Department’s online version of its policy manual states that neck restraints are permitted when a person shows “active resistance” and exhibits “aggressive active behavior”.   

George Floyd was handcuffed and pleaded “I cannot breathe” while Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck.

Chauvin has been charged with manslaughter and third-degree murder for Floyd’s death while three other cops involved in the case were fired.

NBC News reports that Minneapolis Police did not immediately comment on the data.

Source: New York Post