LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Council's Public Safety Committee is considering an ordinance that would place certain limitations on the Louisville Metro Police Department's use of force.

The committee discussed the ordinance at last night's meeting, joined by Maj. Paul Humphrey from LMPD and Michael Aldridge from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky.

The ordinance, sponsored by Councilwoman Jessica Green, D-1, and Brandon Coan, D-8., would ban LMPD officers from using chokeholds, strangleholds, or other techniques that apply pressure to the neck or throat and compromises blood flow to the brain or the ability to breathe.

In addition, the ordinance looks to place limits on the use of tear gas and other chemical agents. The ordinance states that officers should not use any chemical agents "unless it is reasonable to believe an individual or a group of individuals is acting with the intent of causing serious physical injury or death to another person or persons." If an officer does use a chemical agent, they should give a verbal warning before deploying, according to the ordinance.

Humphrey expressed some of his concerns with the ordinance.

"I do have some concerns about some of the things [Coan] pointed out as far as some language. I don't think the language is non-consequential, especially when it comes to the language surrounding things like necessary versus reasonable," he said. "I think those are huge issues that are legal issues, and they're legal standards that have been set ... I think we definitely need to discuss those things in depth to have a better understanding."

Aldridge agreed that getting the language right is important, but also said the ordinance needs an enforcement mechanism.

"What we think this measure needs more than anything is to have accountability written into it. Like, what are the enforcement mechanisms? What happens when an LMPD officer violates one of these points in policy? What actions are taken? Are there direct and immediate consequences for the status of employment?" he said. "Really, this measure is a measure without teeth if you don't build in some level of accountability into the process."

Other limits are laid out in the ordinance, such as not allowing officers to fire weapons at or from a moving vehicle unless deadly force is being used against the officer or another person.

The committee will continue to discuss the ordinance. The next meeting will be held in two weeks.