Theory on chokehold bans

I've been a cop for almost 23 years. We have a rigorous defensive tactics training program. Not one time have we ever been taught any kind of choke hold. I know how to frick up shoulders bad enough to give you John McCain Arm though.

Yes, but it seems that in some situations, a choke hold may be appropriate or necessary.

Was listening to the radio the other day and a former law enforcement officer told a story about him attempting to arrest a mentally ill guy that was going berserk. The cop was struggling with the guy and the guy put his hand in his pocket, and another cop from behind put him in a chokehold and the guy was unconscious in seconds. They cuffed him and checked the pocket that he was reaching into and found a fairly large knife in it. “A chokehold probably saved my life that day,” said the cop.

Probation and Parole Officer here. We carry OC (Peppe Spray) and not tasers. We are armed. The problem with OC is that it contaminates everyone including you. It’s horrible. To get certified, we have to take a hit with it right in the face. It’s absolutely horrible stuff. You don’t see police using it nearly as much as they did about 20 years ago.

As much as I hate the stuff, I think it would be better to go back to widespread use of OC rather than tasers or impact weapons. Spray first and ask questions later. Spray them the moment they fail to comply.

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Yes, but it seems that in some situations, a choke hold may be appropriate or necessary.

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The only choke hold that I know is the LVNR, but I didn't learn it from my department. It's considered deadly force.

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Well I have a question that I am ignorant on. How come tasers and pepper spray are not used more? Lawsuits or something?

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A few reasons. With OC, the officer is going to get some of it too, and it's horrible. Then you have to spend at least an hour decontaminating your suspect. For Tasers, most agencies require medics to come remove the probes, then the officer has to take the suspect to the hospital for a medical evaluation. Then there's a shite ton of paperwork involved for both.

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Not one time have we ever been taught any kind of choke hold

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What exactly is the rationale behind this? A perp can fight through a severely fricked up joint, especially if they’re high or drunk, but they can’t fight through being choked out.

Teaching y’all guillotines and RNC’s would be safer for all parties involved and probably save a life for two each year by ending the fight immediately instead of putting y’all in a position of “ok I just shredded this guy’s shoulder with an Americana (or paint brush or whatever y’all call it) but he’s still fighting and trying to grab my gun, what now?”

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Theory on chokehold bans
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The problem with OC is that it contaminates everyone including you.


So is that the main reason the police force went away from it? So it wouldn’t contaminate bystanders?

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Tasers are certainly a cleaner way of doing things. The officers themselves also get contaminated with OC when it’s used. It’s burns like hell. I do think it’s more effective.

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he’s still fighting and trying to grab my gun, what now?”

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Now you can do whatever you want to him. If he dies, he dies. Trying to take an officer's gun is the fastest way I know of to get deaded.

Yea I know.......and you didn’t really answer my question. Why don’t your higher ups feel like it’s necessary to learn chokes? I get that you can shoot somebody who’s fighting you and that’s awesome and all, but why not take steps to avoid the extremely rare cases 5-10 cases a year that come down to life/death by using techniques that actually work?

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life or death struggle, do you really want any tool in the arsenal banned?

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That’s The problem. The POS you’re fighting against doesn’t have rules to follow. So you’d be limiting the officer’s abilities to fight to possibly save his life or the life of another.