Miami-Dade Police Department Bans Chokeholds

Miami-Dade police, the largest law enforcement agency in the Southeastern United States, has banned the carotid restraint, commonly known as the chokehold.

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez said he decided to do away with the policy after speaking with experts and community members, many of whom considered the practice dangerous and outdated. The change in policy is immediate, the Miami Herald reports.

“This decision was based on a multiple of factors to include officer and public safety, feedback from policing professionals, members of our community, local leaders and officials,” Ramirez said on Twitter. The director also said he chose to change the policy after speaking with members of the Police Executive Research Forum.