Following the death of 43-year-old Eric Garner at the hands of New York Police Department officers two months ago, NYC Police Commissioner William Bratton has requested all NYPD officers undergo a three-day retraining period on the proper use of force.
If you recall, Garner, a father to six, was killed after an officer held him in a chokehold while trying to arrest him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. The use of chokeholds as a restraining tactic is deemed illegal by the department.
From CNN:
The training will focus on how officers can avoid physical confrontations when talking to and restraining suspects, as well as how to safely take them into custody without bringing harm to either the individual or the officer. Officers will also undergo a leadership and cultural sensitivity workshop.
“It was evident to me and Mayor (Bill) de Blasio… that there was a need for a fundamental shift in the culture of the department, from an overarching focus on police activity… to an emphasis on collaborative problem-solving with the community,” Bratton said before the city council’s Committee for Public Safety Monday.
The pilot program will kick off in November and will be administered to 20,000 officers. A remaining 15,000 officers who do not regularly serve on patrol will receive the training as part of their annual “in-service” training program.
The needed training, however, doesn’t come cheap.
Bratton appealed to the city council for monetary support for the new initiative, estimating that the NYPD will need about $25 million to pay for additional trainers, expand the size of the Police Academy staff, and to cover overtime compensation costs for officers needed to fill in for other officers during their three-day training period.
A Staten Island grand jury is expected to hear evidence in the case of Garner’s death later this month. Garner’s death was ruled a homicide by the New York City Medical Examiner’s office shortly after the incident.
SOURCE: CNN | PHOTO CREDIT: Screengrab
