Police advocates say the Department of Justice's bans on chokeholds and no-knock warrants 'pander to anti-police narrative' and are sapping morale among law enforcement officers.
The National Police Association urged the DOJ to reconsider its bans, which were announced on Tuesday, and told Fox News that it 'hamstrings' officers' legal actions to arrest violent offenders.
The chokehold ban didn't surprise Bill Johnson, executive direction of the National Association of Police Organizations, a separate entity that represents more than 241,000 officers across the country.
Of the U.S.'s 100 largest police departments, 71 now prohibit chokeholds - up from 28 before the death of George Floyd - according to the Police Use of Force Project, which has reviewed use of force policies.
At least 17 states ban chokeholds, up from two since Floyd was murdered.
Johnson told DailyMail.com that 'there's been a lot of political pressure, particularly from Democrats but also some Republicans' to do away with restraints around the neck.
A few Democrats, he said without naming who, tried to outright ban the restraint, but there are life-threatening situations where an officer needs to do whatever it takes to subdue a violent suspect, he said.
He used the example of a situation where an officer is disarmed or severely beaten or shot.
'At that point, it's no holds barred,' Johnson said.
The real issue, Johnson said to DailyMail.com, is the ban on no-knock warrants because this gives suspects a chance to destroy evidence.
'There's more concern about this because it's quite restrictive,' he said.
'Politically, there is a lot of pressure after the death of civilians. I understand the concern, but this went too far and now legitimate law enforcement operations could be hampered.
'You can be at the front door and say, "This is special agent so and so. We have a warrant to search the premise, and then you hear stuff (from inside) like, "Get rid of it."
'It's not good enough to enter. You have to wait at the door. You've kind of lost the tactical advantage of the warrant.'
Bill Johnson (pictured), executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, which represents over 241,000 officers, told DailyMail.com that the ban on no-knock warrants hurts police's ability to collect evidence
Protesters have been vociferously demanding a ban on chokeholds since the death of George Floyd
Tuesday's DOJ announcement of the bans comes in response to the intense political pressure following the murder of George Floyd and the social
