Vermont Governor Signs Bill Permitting Police to Use Chokeholds for Self-Defense

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday signed legislation clarifying current statute to explicitly allow Vermont police officers to use chokeholds for self-defense and in life-threatening situations.

In 2020, Scott signed a policing reform bill that made it a crime for law enforcement officers to use certain restraint techniques, such as chokeholds, that can cause injury or death. 

The Vermont Department of Public Safety was assigned to put together a training policy for the new use-of-force restrictions and report back to the Legislature. 

While working on the policy, law enforcement officials decided to ask legislators to amend the chokehold ban to make it clear that police can use chokeholds to defend themselves in life-and-death situations.

The new bill, H.145, moved swiftly through the Legislature, VTDigger reports.