Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow bans carotid restraints

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Acting quickly on a request to police chiefs in California by Governor Gavin Newsom, Santa Barbara Police Chief Lori Luhnow has immediately stopped the departments use of a controversial restraint.

She spoke in front of thousands of people, mainly teens, who had marched with racial concerns and issues with police protocols Sunday from Stearns Wharf to the police headquarters.

Luhnow spoke on a microphone set up by the rally organizers saying, "this entire police department was issued an order to ban the use of carotid restraints from our policy."

The chief spoke at two events over the weekend. Along with the rally at the police station, she spoke in De la Guerra Plaza Saturday that also had a march down State Street.

The Governor issued his order on Friday to end the training of the submission technique that uses a neck hold, blocking blood flow to the brain. It's is a method that critics say is dangerous and can be deadly.

This action comes after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day while he was on the ground in handcuffs following a police stop.