Related
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered the immediate end of a state police tactic called the "carotid hold" following days of sometimes violent protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
The 46-year-old black man died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, leading to national outrage, demonstrations and calls for action. Friday's announcement marks the governor's first major action on police reform after days of unrest in the Bay Area and around the state.
Gov. Newsom called for the end to the "carotid hold," claiming the move is designed to keep someone’s blood from flowing to their brain.
"Municipalities have different approaches and it’s clear to me that we need to standardize those approaches," the governor said.
BART Board of Directors President Lateefah Simon, along with former Oakland Police officer and East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis will advise the state on police engagement approaches. Davis also served in the Obama administration as Director of the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
"Across this country, we train techniques on strangleholds that put people’s lives at risk," Gov. Newsom said. "Now, we can argue that these are used as exceptions. But at the end of the day 'a carotid hold?'"
The move has been applauded by many.
The San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are among the agencies that announced this week they would stop using the carotid hold. San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said his department still allows the carotid hold as a last option before lethal force. He said officers are taught to apply pressure to the sides, rather than the front, of someone’s neck so it wouldn’t block their breathing.
Work is also underway to standardize police responses to crowds and protesters, as images of clashes between the two have littered news coverage this past week.