Surrounded by City Council members, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Houston Police Officers Union representative Ray Hunt, Mayor Sylvester Turner today signed Executive Order 1-67 on Policing Reform: Use of Force, which applies to all police officers in the Houston Police Department.

For the first time, it codifies prohibited techniques, such as neck restraints or chokeholds, which cannot be used unless objectively necessary to prevent imminent serious bodily injury or death to the officer or others.

“Officers shall not place their knee, foot, or body weight on the neck of a suspect to control or contain the suspect’s movement,” Mayor Turner said.

We are committed to doing the work that leads to meaningful and actionable reform,” said Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum.

Work on strengthening the bond between police and the public will continue through the Mayor’s Task Force on Police Reform, which will be a citizen-driven process that includes additional input from city council members.