civus
BillENACTED

Bill 200368-A

Amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity,” by adding a new Chapter 10-2500, entitled “Prohibited Physical Contact by Peace Officers,” to prevent unnecessary death or injury via asphyxiation by prohibiting certain physical contact by peace officers, all under certain terms and conditions.

Introduced Jun 11, 2020Committee on Public SafetyOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember GymCouncilmember GymCouncilmember GymCouncilmember DombCouncilmember DombCouncilmember DombCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember ThomasCouncilmember ThomasCouncilmember ThomasCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember Green

How members voted

  1. Vote on Sep 17, 2020 · CITY COUNCIL

    Aye (17)

    Councilmember DombCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember GymCouncilmember OhCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JonesCouncil President ClarkeCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember Quiñones SánchezCouncilmember BassCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Thomas

From the floor

Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.

  1. “To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on September 30, 2020, I signed the following bills which were passed by Stated Meeting October 1, 2020 on September 17, 2020: Bill No. 200364-A and Bill No. 200368-A. And I respectfully request and submit for the consideration of your honorable body a resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to…”

    Chief Clerk · Stated Meeting, October 1, 2020 · Oct 1, 2020 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “All right. Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read the title of Bill No. 200368-A.”

    Council President Clarke · Stated Meeting, September 17, 2020 · Sep 17, 2020 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Jun 11, 2020Introduced and Referred · CITY COUNCIL
  2. Jun 23, 2020HEARING NOTICES SENT · Committee on Public Safety
  3. Jun 23, 2020HEARING HELD · Committee on Public Safety
  4. Jun 23, 2020AMENDED · Committee on Public Safety
  5. Jun 23, 2020REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED · Committee on Public Safety
  6. Sep 10, 2020READ · CITY COUNCIL
  7. Sep 10, 2020AMENDED · CITY COUNCIL
  8. Sep 10, 2020ORDERED PLACED ON FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR FOR NEXT MEETING. · CITY COUNCIL
  9. Sep 17, 2020READ AND PASSED · CITY COUNCIL
  10. Sep 30, 2020SIGNED · MAYOR

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Amending Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity," by adding a new Chapter 10-2500, entitled "Prohibited Physical Contact by Peace Officers," to prevent unnecessary death or injury via asphyxiation by prohibiting certain physical contact by peace officers, all under certain terms and conditions. ..Body THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows: TITLE 10. REGULATION OF INDIVIDUAL CONDUCT AND ACTIVITY. * * * CHAPTER 10-2500. PROHIBITED PHYSICAL CONTACT BY PEACE OFFICERS. � 10-2501. Definitions. The following definitions apply to this Chapter: Peace officer. Any person who by virtue of their office or public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for offenses, whether that duty extends to all offenses or is limited to specific offenses. Serious bodily injury. Bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. � 10-2502. Prohibited Physical Contact. The use of restraints or other physical contact that present a substantial risk of asphyxiation may not be used by a peace officer to detain a person. Prohibited restraints include chokeholds, hogtying, and sitting, kneeling, or standing on the head, face, or neck, as well as sitting, kneeling, or standing on the chest or back except as necessary to prevent serious bodily injury to an officer or member of the public. SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately. ..End