US President Donald Trump said in an interview aired on Friday that he would like to see a ban on police choke holds in most instances, although he suggested their use would be understandable in some one-on-one situations.
"I don't like choke holds ... (but) sometimes if you're alone and you're fighting someone, it's tough," Mr Trump told Fox News. "I think the concept of choke holds sounds so innocent and so perfect." he said.
“Generally speaking, it should be ended.”
Mr Trump added the use of the suppression tactic could be understandable “if a police officer is in a bad scuffle and he’s got somebody in a choke hold.”
His comments follow the May 25 death of African American George Floyd, after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Mr Floyd’s death ignited a wave of protests in American cities and abroad, and it re-energized the Black Lives Matter racial justice movement.
More than a dozen of Mr Chauvin's fellow officers signed an open letter that condemns his behaviour.
"Derek Chauvin failed as a human and stripped George Floyd of his dignity and life. This is not who we are," the letter from Minneapolis police officers read.
Mr Trump on Thursday announced modest plans for an executive order on policing, while making it clear he would not support sweeping proposals in response to the protests.
Some Republicans in Congress have indicated support for certain measures proposed by Democrats, including a ban on choke holds and eliminating the legal defence of “qualified immunity,” which helps officers evade civil rights lawsuits.
Lawmakers across the US are moving to enact reforms to state law enforcement after nearly 20 consecutive days of protests.
Louisville, Kentucky, banned the use of controversial “no-knock” warrants on Thursday and named the new ordinance for Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by officers who burst into her home.
Ms Taylor, who was studying to become a nurse, was shot eight times by officers conducting a narcotics investigation on March 13. No drugs were found at her home.
In Minneapolis, the city council unanimously passed a resolution to pursue a community-led public safety system to replace the police department.
The move comes days after the majority of council members voted to disband the police department.
"No amount of reforms will prevent lethal violence and abuse by some members of the police department against members of our community, especially Black people and people of colour," five council members wrote in the resolution.
The movement to “defund the police,” as some advocates have termed it, predates the current protests. It has won new support since the death of Mr Floyd.
According to the resolution, the city council will begin a year-long process of engaging "with every willing community member in Minneapolis" to come up with a new public safety model.
Meanwhile, in New York state, Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday said he would end funding for local governments that fail to adopt reforms addressing excess use of force and bias in their police departments by April 2021.
Mr Cuomo signed an executive order mandating that municipalities "reinvent and modernize" their police departments to battle systemic racism.
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh declared racism a health crisis and said he would shift $3 million (Dh 11 million) from the police budget to public health services.
