#Another lawsuit challenges controversial chokehold law in NYC

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NYPD officers using a chokehold during an arrest in June.
NYPD via AP, File

Two more law enforcement unions have teamed up to sue New York City over the controversial new law that criminalizes cops kneeling on someone’s back.

The lawsuit is the second court challenge to the portion of NYC’s chokehold law that makes it a misdemeanor if an officer uses any sort of technique during an arrest that could restrict a person’s breathing.

The latest legal move to overrule the local restriction — filed by the Police Benevolent Association of New York State Troopers and New York State Correctional Officers Wednesday in Manhattan supreme court — argues that a state chokehold ban, which is less limiting, supersedes the local law.

NYSTPBA President Thomas Mungeer, who has previously called for the 200 State Police officers to be pulled from NYC, called the local law a “ill-conceived, knee-jerk reaction by lawmakers.”

A coalition of 18 different law enforcement unions that represents officers in the NYPD, Port Authority, MTA, State Police, courts and city district attorneys’ offices filed a nearly identical legal challenge on Aug. 5.

It was unclear why the two unions didn’t sign onto the earlier lawsuit or later join as plaintiffs.

State troopers were told late last month to abandon certain “techniques that are currently taught [troopers] in the Defensive Tactics curriculum” while assigned to the Big Apple to comply with the local law.

The Big Apple’s chokehold ban was passed as part of a package of police reforms in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the chokehold bill into law on July 15, a month after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the less restrictive state-wide ban.