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Training ‘head blows’ banned after Va. recruit’s death

The new rules state that recruits who know a classmate is hurt must speak up

News Channel 3

NORFOLK — An investigative panel that studied hours of police video and dozens of police statements has banned the kind of training that likely led to the death of a 40-year-old husband and military veteran.

The panel members of the Norfolk police department has mandated the following: No head blows by instructors or recruits. No Head Blows by instructors or recruits. Head-Injury Training for the academy staff and police recruits and Mandatory Injury Reporting, meaning recruits who know a classmate is hurt must speak up.

A NewsChannel 3 investigation showed John Kohn suffered as many as eight head blows before his death in December, including a flurry of punches by a police instructor. Records show Kohn endured terrible headaches, likely had a concussion from punches and from a crash in the doorway with another recruit. He never told an instructor how badly his head hurt.

Read more on News Channel 3.