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Politicians are passing new police reforms. The problem? Cops keep ignoring them.
A thread.
A thread.
After last summer’s uprisings, more than 30 states and countless municipalities and police departments have set new rules to reduce police violence—including funding cuts, crowd-control restrictions, body-camera mandates, and bans on no-knock warrants and neck restraints.
But officers in at least half a dozen cities have allegedly violated those policies or carved out major loopholes. These flagrant work arounds throw into question how effective reforms are at controlling violent police behavior. https://bit.ly/3gAiN45
April 12: The Brooklyn Center city council baned tear gas, rubber bullets and kettling. Police broke the ban 15 minutes later, gassing protesters against the killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. https://bit.ly/3tAJr0d
June 2020: After bystanders and children were maced, Seattle set a 30-day ban on using tear gas for crowd control. Seattle police used it the next day. https://bit.ly/3tHNjMP
Three weeks later, a Portland court said police could only use tear gas when lives were in danger. They used it immediately. Their excuse? A literal dumpster fire. (Protesters were already putting it out.) https://bit.ly/3x93rt7
Also in June: Rhode Island police chiefs pledged to mandate body cameras.
Cops allegedly used “excessive and unsafe force” to chase a man on a moped—who ended up in a coma. Witnesses said officers hit him with a cruiser.
Three officers kept their cameras off.
Cops allegedly used “excessive and unsafe force” to chase a man on a moped—who ended up in a coma. Witnesses said officers hit him with a cruiser.
Three officers kept their cameras off.
September 2020: California banned carotid-artery chokeholds, known as “blood chokes.”
December: Cops in Antioch, CA, allegedly kneeled on Angelo Quinto’s neck for five minutes after subduing him. He died three days later. Police denied using the maneuver. https://bit.ly/3sELIGy
December: Cops in Antioch, CA, allegedly kneeled on Angelo Quinto’s neck for five minutes after subduing him. He died three days later. Police denied using the maneuver. https://bit.ly/3sELIGy
August 2020: New York banned chokeholds like the one that killed Eric Garner.
January 2021: An NYPD officer knelt on a handcuffed man’s neck for over a minute while arresting him—for riding an ATV—at his friend’s memorial service. https://bit.ly/2PbeOQ5
January 2021: An NYPD officer knelt on a handcuffed man’s neck for over a minute while arresting him—for riding an ATV—at his friend’s memorial service. https://bit.ly/2PbeOQ5
