Law enforcement guidance suggests that individuals should be placed on their sides once they are restrained in handcuffs, a procedure that was overlooked during a tragic incident last month. A 52-year-old man, in the midst of a mental health crisis, fatally succumbed after being held face-down by Portland officers without being immediately shifted to the recommended side position. This incident comes in the wake of an exhaustive study by a reputable research collective that has previously conducted training sessions with Portland police, emphasizing the failures in addressing critical encounters with individuals in crisis who might be armed.
Last year’s detailed report aimed to shed light on the urgent need for reducing restraint-related fatalities. This came on the back of an investigation by The Associated Press which unearthed more than a thousand similar cases nationwide. Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, issued a statement expressing his concern about the lack of adequate attention this significant problem has received.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day acknowledged the incident involving a frantic Damon Lamarr Johnson, who was restrained and struggled to be handcuffed by three officers, revealing that it’s unclear whether the officers adhered to their training. The altercation unfolded in Johnson’s apartment, following a report of his erratic behavior. The absence of the prescribed ‘recovery position’ in which Johnson should have been placed raises questions, which will be the subject of a thorough investigation, according to Day.
Inquiries carried out by the police department alongside a criminal investigation are eagerly awaited for two key outcomes: the stipulated cause of death by the medical examiner and results of the toxicology reports. A key focal point of these investigations would be to ascertain whether there was a missed opportunity to better position Johnson for the preservation of his life.
The established protocol, ‘Ensuring the Safety of Restrained Persons,’ urges Portland officers to, when possible, place restrained individuals either in a standing, seated, or recovery position. If sudden severe medical distress signs are detected, such as respiratory, cardiac, or similar crises, the policy mandates immediate summoning of medical emergency services.
In the disturbing case of Johnson, body camera footage stipulates that the officers directed him to ‘stop resisting, roll over … roll over on your side,’ but failed to adhere to this advice themselves. The footage demonstrated that the officers held Johnson straight, with hands cuffed at the back, thereby exerting pressure on his legs and back for an alarmingly lengthy spell before realizing the impending crisis.
Alarming moments in the footage reveal officers questioning if Johnson is still breathing after a lapse of several minutes. The concern unfolded into a scramble for paramedic assistance and immediate instructions to shift Johnson onto his side. The situation rapidly spiraled out of control as, despite having Johnson cuffed and laid on his stomach, he remained unresponsive for several more minutes until the gravity of the situation was grasped by the officers.
On their arrival, paramedics found Johnson displaying a weak pulse and immediately instructed the removal of his handcuffs. Tragically soon after, Johnson was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead. The police chief indicated that the subsequent investigation will scrutinize an alarming delay in the response of paramedics to the apartment.
The Police Executive Research Forum had gathered a diverse set of experts, including police officials, medical professionals, tactical savants, and emergency medics. The assembly culminated in a comprehensive study revealing 15 critical recommendations aimed at reducing such horrific incidents. This forum, an independent research organization based in Washington, D.C., propels law enforcement agencies to acknowledge that in many encounters like with Johnson, dealing with a person in crisis trumps enforcing obedience to their instructions.
The report emphasizes that restraint-related incidents pose a potentially increased death risk. While restraining a person face down proves efficient in cuffing the individual, the report stipulates the urgency of changing this prone position swiftly. It also underlines the risk of prone restraint leading to cardiac arrest due to inhibited effective elimination of carbon dioxide.
The forum’s report lays stress on the movement of the person onto their side immediately after restraint. This may be practically challenging but crucial, and every effort to accomplish this must be made by the officers. Among other promising tactics, moving agitated individuals onto backboards and removing restraints in the safest ways possible were suggested.
Delving deeper into strategies, the forum recommended early collaboration with emergency service workers and dispatchers to establish warning signs and to synchronize care when distress calls come through. Johnson’s case, where the officers found him eating cake while facing the window, may have presented cues that could inform future incident responses.
The case points to the urgent necessity of exploring alternative models to police interventions when dealing with persons in severe crisis, a sentiment shared by Chief Day and the Mental Health Alliance. Both parties underscore the importance of avoiding police contact for people experiencing a mental health crisis. They suggest community programs like Portland Street Response as potential solutions given that the victim poses no immediate threat or hasn’t committed any crime. However, these solutions need more investment to be available round-the-clock, considering Johnson, reportedly armed with knives, still received a police response.