The ‘Blue Wall’ won’t protect NYPD officer on trial for chokehold, prosecutor says

“It was drilled into your head: Chokeholds are not allowed. They’re prohibited. They’re strictly prohibited. We can’t use them,” former NYPD Officer Jillian Snider said in an interview.

Snider, now an adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said using a chokehold is the “biggest no-no” officers learn at the training academy, other than shooting at a moving vehicle. In her approximately 15 years at the department, she said, she never saw a fellow officer use that form of restraint.

The former officer said Habib’s prosecution sends a message to other members of law enforcement that they will be held accountable if they break the law. Other officers’ testimony at trial reflects a growing unwillingness among members of law enforcement to risk their life, their job or their reputation because of a colleague’s actions, Snider said.

“I think it’s gotten to the point where we want to defend ourselves and the occupation of law enforcement and keep it a professional job that has ethics and standards and integrity,” she said. “Having cops on the force that are blatantly not following the rules, that hurts our profession. It also hurts our relationship with the community.”