#Nassau County cops warned to avoid NYC after chokehold ban

Nassau County police brass this week ordered on-duty cops to avoid the Big Apple unless accompanied or approved by a supervisor, according to a memo issued days after Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a bill making it a criminal offense for officers to use a chokehold on a suspect.

The memo, issued Friday, outlines the city’s new “unlawful methods of restraint” law and notes violators could end up with a year in jail.

“In light of the above law, members shall not conduct police business in New York City unless it has been approved by their Commanding Officer,” according to the document.

Nassau cops now must be accompanied by a supervisor, notify the local precinct of their activities “unless doing so would cause danger” to the officers, and officers “should have clearly identifiable police insignia when taking police action,” the memo reads.

The department recently revised its use of force policy, allowing chokeholds only if “deadly physical force is being asserted against a member of the department or another,” Newsday reported. In the past, Nassau cops could use the controversial maneuver as a deadly physical force option.

The department said in a statement it “100 percent supports the men and women of the NYPD, but is concerned when we have to take police action in the confines of the city of New York.”

“Our Police Officers are highly trained to control subjects as per NYS Law in the event they have to effect an arrest and we have no plans to change our arrest procedures in Nassau County,” Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun said. “It greatly disturbs me that the safety of officers and prisoners are not taken into account when laws are changed and the experts in law enforcement are not consulted.”

The memo comes on the heels of Westchester police banning their  officers from doing business in the city.

“Effective immediately and until further notice sworn members shall not conduct any enforcement activity within the confines of the City of New York,” it said. “This includes pursuing subjects into the City of New York for offenses committed in Westchester County.”

Westchester County does have a ban on police chokehold on the books but does not prohibit other forms of restraint. The Westchester memo, issued Thursday, comes one day after the New York State Police union issued a statement calling for all troopers to be pulled from the five boroughs while the new measure is in place.