New Hampshire Passes Law Rolling Back Portions of Previous Bail Reform Bill

Gov. Chris Sununu signed a criminal justice bill Thursday that bans chokeholds by police officers and requires them to report misconduct.

The governor said the bill will move New Hampshire in the right direction, ensuring transparency and prohibiting private prisons in the state.

The bill bans choke-holds and requires the reporting of misconduct.

The bill also takes additional steps in bail reform to make it easier to detain dangerous defendants.

"Pretty early on, I think everyone realized that (bail reform) wasn't right," Sununu said. "We could've done a much better job, and we really tasked the legislature to go back, work with stakeholders and find solutions, and a lot of those reforms are in this bill, as well."

The bill adds a bail commissioner to the Commission on Pretrial Detention and provides immunity from arrest or prosecution for some alcoholic beverage violations.

The new law also requires psychological screening for law enforcement trainees before they become certified officers.

The president of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Charlie Dennis said a statewide standard for misconduct reporting and investigation is also a good move.

"We all want to be good in the jobs that we do and make sure we're providing the best service to our community members and make sure we're accountable and transparent," Dennis said.

Sununu called the bill comprehensive but said the work is far from over.

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