Days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning choke holds, the Jackson City Council will be considering a measure to do the same.
At its meeting next week, the council will consider a motion from Ward Four Councilman De’Keither Stamps to ban police choke holds.
The news comes days after Trump signed an executive order banning the holds “unless an officer’s life is at risk,” according to Forbes Magazine.
Jackson would become one of many cities and states that have nixed or are looking at nixing the police maneuver or changing other police policies in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer.
"We've had issues as well that nobody talks about," Stamps said.
Recently, the mayor of Shreveport signed an executive order banning the hold, while the mayor of Little Rock banned the police use of neck restraints, according to media in those municipalities.
Stamps is also proposing a measure that he believes would provide police and firefighters a chance to build camaraderie and hope, even in difficult times.
The councilman is planning to present a measure to offer police and firefighters a cash incentive for staying in shape and maintaining the skills. If passed, officers would compete in annual physical fitness tests, written tests and marksmanship tests, and the top 150 officers in each department would receive a $1,600 bonus.
"It's not a whole lot, but something people could aspire to," Stamps said, adding that the order has the potential to boost morale and build camaraderie among both departments' ranks.
He said funds for the program, $500,000, were set aside several years ago. However, about $300,000 of that amount was spent on purchasing body cameras. He said the remaining funds, along with a portion of the city's internet sales tax revenues, could go to pay for it.
"We haven't divided that up yet," Stamps said, referring to the internet sales tax revenue.
The council will meet Tuesday, June 23, at 6 p.m., at Jackson City Hall.
