PHOENIX — On Tuesday, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams followed several states and cities across the country banning the use of chokeholds, but the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) disagrees with the decision.
"In reality, you're removing an option at the officer's disposal that is used right before the ultimate which is deadly force," said Britt London, President of PLEA.
"PLEA applauds Chief Williams for taking steps to be more engaging and build confidence within the community. But under these circumstances, Chief Williams needs to engage with the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department as well. At this time, due to the limited information and lack of communication we have received, we are unsure how suspending the Carotid Control Technique accomplishes the goal of strengthening trust with the community, since the technique has not been viewed negatively within the Phoenix Police Department. Our members are anxiously awaiting information regarding a replacement for this less-lethal response option."
Stan Kephart is a retired police chief with more than four decades of work specializing in positional restraint asphyxia. He disagrees with Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams and others now banning a move he says is supposed to be used as a last resort to protect officers.
"It's the focus of the tension because by squeezing and inverting that radial bone into the carotid artery, you're shut down blood flow within five to 15 seconds," said Kephart. "You're having to untrained a reflexive response within the ranks of your police officers."
Kephart says the carotid hold was never meant to be lethal when applied correctly and taking it away could actually increase officer-involved shootings
Phoenix law enforcement association president Britt London agrees with Kephart and says his membership is concerned that removing the hold won't be the last tool taken away from protecting the public.
Kephart tells us he's for increasing training across all areas of law enforcement, especially in de-escalation techniques. Both he and PLEA agree, what happened in Minneapolis is not a carotid control technique.