Two years after the assassination of George Floyd, the Canadian government has announced that it will soon order the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to ban the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and the immobilization technique by touching the neck or cervical attachment.
In an interview with CBC News, on the second anniversary of Mr. Floyd’s death during a police intervention, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said his office will ask questions in the coming days to the commissioner of RCMPBrenda Lucki, to end the use of the most controversial police methods.
Although the federal government does not oversee local police officers, Mr. Mendicino hopes his directive to RCMP will serve as a reform plan for police services in the country.
Some police services have already taken these steps, but we believe that with a set of new, modern policies regarding the use of RCMP force, it can serve as a national model.Mr. Mendicino told the CBC.
When asked for more details on when these measures will take effect, the minister said he expects the RCMP to work to end the use of these methods by the end of the year.
A technique different from the police who killed Floyd
Figures obtained by Ottawa -based researcher Ken Rubin under the Access to Information Act show that the cervical restraint technique, although rare, is still used in Canada.
The RCMP It has been argued that the cervical restraint technique puts pressure on both sides of the neck without restricting the airway and causes brief periods of unconsciousness allowing officers to handcuff them.
Every three years, according to RCMPagents should undergo refresher training in the technique of neck immobilization and in the use of tear gas.
The RCMP reviewed his use of neck restraints since Floyd’s murder. Sometimes called carotid restraint, sleeping outlets where strangulation of bloodthis is different from the detention used by the Minneapolis police to kill Mr. Floyd.
Mr Floyd died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Jurors found Constable Chauvin guilty of second degree murder, third degree murder and manslaughter for causing the death of the African American. He was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison.
According to a briefing note obtained by CBC News, the RCMP its agents are still allowed to place the knee on a person’s upper body in some particular cases.
With information from David Thurton
Source: Radio-Canada
