Blaine police chief Tanksley bans neck restraints amid national policing debate

Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley has suspended the use of the vascular neck restraint by Blaine police officers until further review of the technique.

The neck restraint, sometimes referred to as the carotid chokehold, has been the subject of national debate over police use of force tactics following the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minnesota police officers on May 25.

Tanksley said the ban on the restraint technique was a decision he made based on the current national conversation surrounding police use of force. He said the technique needs to be further examined before he will allow his officers to use it again.

Tanksley did not say when the department’s use of force policy would be examined, but that he was doing his due diligence by suspending the control hold. He said there is no other alternative hold as severe that officers could use while the neck restraint is banned.

Blaine patrol sergeant Brent Greene said the vascular neck restraint has never been used by a Blaine police department officer. Officers use other forms of control tactics, like joint manipulation, handcuffs and control point tactics, he said.

Some other agencies in Whatcom County still use the neck restraint, Tanksley said. All officers undergo training by officers certified officers by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission before using the neck restraint in the field, the police chief said.