The College of Policing states that when a detainee is restrained in prone position, a safety officer should be responsible for monitoring the detainee’s conditions. It also states that “care should also be taken not to place pressure on a detainee’s chest or obstruct the airways”. The website highlights that there are “principle risk factors that can contribute in death during restraint” and literally the second point down which states causes’ risk of death is when “pressure is applied to the back of the neck…”. If you have seen the video of Floyd being restrained, you can see that none of this has been followed. There is no officer monitoring his condition, and an officer has his whole shin across his neck. He was kept in this position for 8 minutes, and was unconscious for 4 of those minutes.
This is called positional, or restraint asphyxia. The definition of this is a form of asphyxia which occurs when body position prevents adequate gas exchange, such as from upper airway obstruction or limitation in chest wall expansion. Asphyxia, for those who do not know, means a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.
They might not be able to draw sufficient breath, even if they can speak or gasp.
George Floyd’s death has sparked riots across the USA and even in England, but this is not a new issue. According to the Washington Post in 2010 a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission states between 1998 and 2009 there were 16 cases where restraints was a direct or contributy factor to death.
In Wales in 2015 Merion James, aged 53 died as a result of ‘excessively long restraint in prone position’.
2012, 52 year old Colin Holt died of positional asphyxia after being restrained by police.
But is this restraint really ‘deadly’?
In short, no. Not if it is done correctly.
Prone position should be only held for a limited amount of time, and can be useful for searching for weapons on the detainee. As soon as possible, the detainee should be moved to a sitting or standing position, especially if they are showing signs of medical distress.
An experts opinion on prone position.
I spoke to a control and restraint instructor/specialist and ex-senior prison officer, Gary Headech (who just happens to be my father), about the use of this position, and if it’s risks outweighed its effectiveness.
He informed me how risks are higher in prone position as, no matter the efforts to restrain in a standing position, it often ends in prone position. “As long as they follow the basic rules, communicate with and monitor the person being restrained it is a safe restraint”. Communication is important as you do not know if someone has a medical condition which could put them at a risk and to make sure they are not suffering from any medical distress. It is important that prone position should be held for as little time as possible. As soon as it is safe to do so, the person being restrained should be moved to a sitting or standing position.
Prone position is one of the best ways to control someone and gives those who are doing the restraint a chance to rest. It also allows for the people restraining to be able to swap if needed. Overall it is a common, safe and effective form of restraint, but the rules have to be followed.
I then questioned him why the police seem to be getting it so wrong:
He informed me that in order to restrain someone safely, there should be 3 people; one on either side of the person being restrained, and a third supporting the head. This makes it safer for both the people doing the restraints, and the detainee.
The person supporting the head has the job of minimizing facial and head injury, and also due to their better view of the person, should also monitor the persons health and communicate with them. This third person is also important in helping the others doing the restraints, due to their better view, for example, if the person restraining on the left is leaning too much onto the person in the prone position without realising, this third person would inform them to move back.
Importantly, no one should ever be left in prone position in handcuffs.
The prison service has very good control and restraint training. They have a 3 person team for both better safety and control. Unfortunately, the police service does not appear to follow the prison service’s lead, nor do they really work with outside control and restraint experts.
According to the Home Office, 2018 saw the lowest number of police officers since 1981. So it appears that due to lack of police numbers, safety for the person being restrained is compromised.
So what is the problem?
A lack in police numbers means it is simply not possible to have the recommended 3 people restraining in the prone position. Along with this, the training does not seem to follow those of the prison service or external control and restraint specialists.
In many cases we see officers getting ‘too caught up in the moment’ and not really realising the consequences of what they are doing. In other cases, such as the tragic case of George Floyd, you can’t help but feel that officer knew exactly what he was doing.
Whether this is a case of lack of training, lack of numbers to make this a safe restraint, an accident or done purposefully, the prone position should not be deadly.
This restraint should not be used lightly, every step should taken to make sure that both the detainee and the people restraining are safe. It is used in many different fields, from the prison service, to care homes. If these steps and guidance are followed, prone position is an effective and safe restraint that can be very useful.
How can you help?
Sign the petition below to help bring justice for George Floyd.
Below are other links which you should look at!
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