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South Fulton moves to limit officer use-of-force

The city said Wednesday it would require officers to 'exhaust reasonable alternatives before firing weapons.'

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — The City of South Fulton said Wednesday it was limiting how officers may use force, with the city council unanimously approving an ordinance that bans chokeholds and strangleholds and restricts how officers may use their weapons.

A release from the city said the new policies, which will take effect Sept. 24, were inspired by the 8 Can't Wait police reform movement.

"The resolution bans chokeholds and strangleholds; prohibits officers from shooting at moving vehicles; and requires officers to exhaust reasonable alternatives before firing weapons," the release said. "It also requires comprehensive reporting, warnings before weapon use, use of de-escalation practices, intervention by officers who witness other officers using excessive force and reasonable use of force protocols to help ensure the use of only enough force reasonably necessary to defend and/or make an arrest."

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The city paired that with a second resolution which will require officers to file a report whenever they draw weapons - be it their gun, Taser or mace. The report will be required regardless of whether the weapon is used.

According to the city, the report will require information such as the kind of incident that resulted in the weapon being drawn and the age and race of the individual they drew it against.

The city said that would supplement an earlier move to equip officers with "holster sensors that activate body cameras as soon as the officers draw their weapons."

The new policies come amid renewed fervor in the movement against the excessive use of police force, particularly against Black citizens, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake this week in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

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