Minneapolis police officers have used neck restraints at least 237 times since 2015 and have left people unconscious 44 times in the same time period, according to analysis of police reports from NBC News. The report states people lost consciousness in 16 percent of the incidents. Although some U.S. police departments have outright bans on chokeholds, the Minneapolis Police Department’s policy manual allows the use of neck restraints that can leave people unconscious. NBC News reports that almost half of those who lost consciousness were injured, but the records don’t state how severe the injuries were. The data also showed three-fifths of those subjected to neck restraints and who then lost consciousness were black—about 30 percent were white. The Minneapolis Police Department did not comment on the data. Last month, Officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes before the 46-year-old died. He was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
