D.C. Code § 5-125.02

This is the official text of D.C. Code § 5-125.02, part of District of Columbia’s Code — part of the compiled statutory law of District of Columbia, published by the state as "Code." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§ 5-125.02. Definitions.

Official statutory text

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term:
(1) Repealed.
(2) Repealed.
(3) "Asphyxiating restraint" means:
(A) The use of any body part or object by a law enforcement officer against a person with the purpose, intent, or effect of controlling or restricting the person's airway or severely restricting the person's breathing, except in cases where the law enforcement officer is acting in good faith to provide medical care or treatment, such as by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation; or
(B) The placement of a person by a law enforcement officer in a position in which that person's airway is restricted.
(4) "Law enforcement officer" means:
(A) An officer or member of the Metropolitan Police Department or of any other police force operating in the District;
(B) An investigative officer or agent of the United States;
(C) An on-duty, civilian employee of the Metropolitan Police Department;
(D) An on-duty, licensed special police officer;
(E) An on-duty, licensed campus police officer;
(F) An on-duty employee of the Department of Corrections or Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services;
(G) An on-duty employee of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, Pretrial Services Agency, or Family Court Social Services Division; and
(H) An employee of the Office of the Inspector General who, as part of their official duties, conducts investigations of alleged felony violations.
(5) "Neck restraint" means the use of any body part or object by a law enforcement officer to apply pressure against a person's neck, including the trachea, carotid artery, or jugular vein, with the purpose, intent, or effect of controlling or restricting the person's airway, blood flow, or breathing, except in cases where the law enforcement officer is acting in good faith to provide medical care or treatment, such as by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
(6) "Prohibited technique" means an asphyxiating restraint or a neck restraint.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in District of Columbia?

Find a District of Columbia lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.